I have always believed in supporting homegrown films, especially when it is a first feature from a budding director. So when I heard about Tummy Monster, the directorial debut from Scottish and Irish director Ciaran Lyons, I was ecstatic.

The film is set in Glasgow, Scotland, a place not far from my home, and stars Scottish actor Lorn Macdonald. As a Scot, I’m happy to report Tummy Monster is an exciting first feature from Lyons. 

I attended the Q&A screening in Glasgow Film Theatre, where Lyons and Macdonald discussed during the Q&A how, with Tummy Monster being their first feature, it was either going to be great or bad – there was no in between. The film, though, proves that Lyons’s clear vision has resulted in a confident first feature.

The film involves Tales, a tattoo artist in a midlife crisis who is separated from his wife and living in his tattoo shop. When a client named Tummy (Orlando Norman), a pop star, declines a selfie with Tales, a night of madness ensues.

At face value, the premise, for some audiences, would not work as it’s just a selfie that Tales is desperate to get. It’s not that important in the grand scheme of things. However, Lyons’s commitment to the silliness of the conflict delivers. In one moment, Tales is having a midlife crisis. Next, he is digging his own grave. 

The tragic aspect of the conflict is that Tales does have great things in his life around him. He has a daughter who adores him, whom he doesn’t need to prove anything to, but for some misguided sense of trying to look cool, he is so desperate to get the selfie with Tummy that he locks himself and Tummy in the tattoo shop.

The tragic aspect of it comes from the doors opening. Tales could leave at any moment, but he doesn’t; instead brings the shutter down and swallows the key, which results in him being unable to pick up his daughter the next day from school, when she was just happy her dad was picking her up.

Tales puts it best when he talks about when he was young. He didn’t want to be “one of those old manky bastards” you see at the nightclub. It’s a great moment of reflection, showing how Tales is trying desperately to hold onto this youth despite the great things around him.

Tales is not the only one with elements of tragedy, though. There is a great moment when Tummy asks Tales if he wants to know about him, and Tales says no. It’s a powerful moment because it shows that, deep down, Tummy just wants someone to have an interest in him outside of his fame as a pop star. We see disappointment in Tummy’s face when he gets no response. Taken together, we get to see moments where both characters show vulnerability within those moments of trying to wind each other up. It’s fun character work.

The film’s setting, which is set in one location for the entire runtime, is used very well. The many pieces of hung-up tattoo art give us insight into how Tales views himself as an artist with something to say.

Regarding the performances, Macdonald goes against type in Tales because usually what’s associated with his characters are usually shy but are down to earth; a prime example is in the Scottish sitcom, Dinosaurs (2024-). He has to find this dynamic in Tales as someone who refuses to accept the good around him, to instead focus on the youth that’s left him behind. And, importantly, Macdonald is funny.

Standing opposite him is Norman as Tummy. What makes this performance work is the genuine sense that Tummy feels out of this world, unearthly at times. It seems as if he never tires, but underneath that facade is a lonely individual who wants someone to have a genuine interest in him outside of just having a selfie.

In a supporting role, Michael Akinsulire as Truth communicates the attitude of “here we go again” when the shit hits the fan but underneath that Akinsulire brings a sense that Truth has been in this situation many times he does try to warn Tales.

Tummy Monster is an exciting first feature that highlights the exciting cinema Scotland has to offer, both on the screen and behind the camera.

Review Courtesy of Matthew Allan

Feature Image Credit to MUBI