Shallow Grave

The events occur in the mid-1990s, a period before pervasive digital connectivity and smartphones, which amplifies the characters' ability to hide, lie, and manipulate one another. The era's practical, everyday setting highlights the realism of their crime and its consequences. The story relies on physical spaces (the flat, attic, woods) rather than modern technology to drive suspense.

Set in Edinburgh, the film centers on a cramped flat and the surrounding urban landscape. The city’s grey streets and rainy atmosphere create a claustrophobic mood that sharpens the tension among three flatmates. Scenes unfold in a modest Edinburgh flat, its attic and nearby woods, underscoring the contrast between ordinary life and deadly deception.

💰 Greed

A large suitcase of cash becomes the centerpiece of the plot, revealing how quickly monetary allure corrupts friendship. The trio's plan to hide a death and keep the money exposes greed as the primary catalyst for violence. As the scheme unravels, the lure of wealth intensifies paranoia and moral compromise.

🕵️ Paranoia

Fear and mistrust escalate as the trio suspects each other while dealing with intrusions and the murder of their flatmate. David's increasingly paranoid behavior drives the plot toward a violent climax. The claustrophobic spaces of the flat and attic mirror the characters' growing suspicions.

🤫 Betrayal

Hidden motives emerge as Juliet and David secretly plan to escape with the money and pin the murders on others. The group’s trust collapses, leaving Alex to confront danger and face the truth about his friends. The ending exposes a web of secrets that seals the fate of all involved.