Rare Beasts

Billie Piper has long established herself as one of this country’s more daring and unpredictable actors, so it’s no surprise that her striking first feature as writer-director embodies all of these qualities. The minefield of contemporary careers and relationships has rarely been depicted with such frankness, intimacy and originality.  Piper’s single mum Mandy is chaotic, nihilistic and vulnerable. But so are her estranged parents (David Thewlis, Kerry Fox) and needy new partner (Leo Bill). The fallout from these ever-colliding characters is combustible – this is Piper’s scorched-earth exploration of self-worth in a time of reclaimed feminism and contentious politics. The results are both hilarious and grim, often at the same time, puncturing the oft-believed preconception that we can ‘have it all’.