The thriller explores the nature of violence, fanaticism, and a twisted understanding of love.
The film "Heel": cruelty behind the mask of care is the main theme of the new psychological thriller directed by Polish filmmaker Jan Komasa. Stephen Graham plays the role of a father who decides to raise a stranger's teenager using the most radical methods.
Plot: Parenting Turns into Torture
The main character is Tommy, a 19-year-old young man used to living without restrictions. His life consists of parties, alcohol, drugs, and aggression. However, after one night of fun, everything changes: the guy is kidnapped and chained to a wall in a basement.
His captor is Chris, a family man who has decided to "save" the young man from moral decline. But Chris's methods resemble not lessons in morality, but a system of torture. He is convinced that pain and fear will help Tommy "cleanse" himself and start a new life.
In Chris's house, where his wife Catherine and son Jonathan also live, a tense psychological game gradually unfolds. For Tommy, this story becomes not an attempt to realize his guilt, but a struggle for survival.
Director Jan Komasa: Master of Psychological Tension
"Heel" was directed by Jan Komasa, one of the most renowned Polish directors of our time. His film "Corpus Christi" was nominated for an Oscar in the Best International Feature Film category and received high praise from critics.
Komasa is known for his ability to reveal the inner conflicts of characters and show how fragile the line is between spirituality and violence. His previous work, "The Change," has already proven that the director can combine social drama and thriller into a single powerful statement.
Initially, the project "Heel" was titled "Good Boy." However, the title was changed to emphasize the darker and more symbolic side of the plot.
The premiere of "Heel" will take place on May 7, 2026, in theaters in Germany and Europe. The film promises to be one of the most discussed premieres of the spring.
Critics are already calling the film "the heir to the traditions of 'Misery' and 'Hard Candy.'" Thrillers in which psychological violence becomes the main weapon.
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