Shallow Grave

Shallow Grave

Year: 1995

Runtime: 92 min

Language: English

Director: Danny Boyle

Budget: $2.5M

DramaThrillerComedyCrime

Three roommates find their lives complicated when they uncover a dead body and a substantial amount of money in their recently purchased flat. The unexpected windfall sparks suspicion and paranoia among them, testing the bonds of their friendship. As they struggle with the ethical dilemma of keeping the money, their relationships deteriorate, leading to escalating tensions and a desperate struggle to protect themselves.

Shallow Grave (1995) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

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In bustling Edinburgh, three strangers share a flat that feels more like a laboratory for social experiments than a home. David Stevens, a meticulous chartered accountant, brings a cool, analytical edge; Juliet Miller, a driven physician, adds a clinical precision; and Alex Law, an ambitious journalist, injects restless curiosity. Their interactions are marked by dry humor and a subtly competitive streak, as they treat the search for a roommate as a game of power, teasing potential flatmates with a cold, almost clinical detachment.

The dynamic shifts when a fourth occupant, Hugo, arrives, completing the uneasy quartet. Hugo’s presence introduces an undercurrent of mystery, and the group’s habit of probing each other’s motives soon collides with an unsettling discovery inside the flat—a corpse and a sizable suitcase of cash. The find is both shocking and oddly tempting, presenting a moral crossroads that forces each of them to weigh loyalty against self‑interest.

The revelation sparks an undercurrent of suspicion that quickly seeps into every conversation. As the three original flatmates grapple with the temptation of a sudden windfall, their once‑playful power plays turn razor‑sharp, and the walls of their shared space begin to feel increasingly confining. Paranoia flickers behind polite banter, and the question of who can be trusted becomes a silent, persistent hum in the background.

Against the backdrop of rain‑slick streets and cramped Edinburgh apartments, the film cultivates a tense, darkly comic atmosphere where ordinary lives are pressured by extraordinary choices. The characters’ distinct personalities—David’s cautious calculation, Juliet’s clinical resolve, and Alex’s restless probing—set the stage for a psychological dance that tests the limits of friendship, ambition, and morality, leaving the audience wondering how far each will go when greed and fear intertwine.

Last Updated: November 25, 2025 at 15:14

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about friendship betrayed by greed like Shallow Grave

When a shared temptation shatters trust, turning allies into enemies.If you liked Shallow Grave's depiction of trust destroyed by avarice, explore these movies. This thread gathers similar stories where a financial windfall or shared secret pits friends against each other, leading to a tense and tragic unraveling of their relationships.

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Narrative Summary

These stories typically begin with a cohesive group presented with an unethical but lucrative opportunity. The narrative follows their initial agreement, the rise of suspicion and paranoia, and the eventual betrayal, often culminating in violence or total emotional separation.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by their core theme of testing human bonds with extreme temptation. They share a dark, cynical tone and a focus on the psychological decay of characters who prioritize personal gain over loyalty.

Claustrophobic thrillers of moral decay like Shallow Grave

Tense stories where confined settings amplify ethical dilemmas and desperation.Fans of Shallow Grave's tense, apartment-bound nightmare will find more like it here. This thread features thrillers where characters are trapped by their circumstances, leading to a slow-burn examination of greed, paranoia, and the brutal consequences of a single bad decision.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves characters becoming psychologically trapped by their own actions within a confined setting. There is no easy escape, forcing them to confront each other and their own escalating moral compromises, leading to an inevitable, often violent, conclusion.

Why These Movies?

They share a specific mood of suffocating tension, a steady pacing that builds dread, and a central theme of characters being their own worst enemies in a limited environment. The experience is defined by unease and a grim outlook.

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Shallow Grave Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Shallow Grave

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Shallow Grave

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