Jackdaw Review: Oliver Jackson-Cohen Gives Nuanced Performance In Taut Thriller

Written and directed by Jamie Childs, Jackdaw is a simple, taut thriller with enough character development and tension to keep us riveted. The cinematography has a gritty feel and the film is well-lit despite the action taking place in the dark. The story is bare bones, but that’s certainly not a knock against the film at all. Rather, Jackdaw is exactly the kind of movie we’ve been missing — straightforward, intense, and well-acted. It never needed to have multiple, or even complex, storylines to be good, and Childs delivers an intriguing, electric story without overstuffing it. With Oliver Jackson-Cohen delivering a nuanced, vulnerable yet tough performance as the film’s title character, Jackdaw is a gripping tale that is well worth the price of admission.