Tony

Tony Benson lives alone in a Dalston council estate tower block and spends his days isolated from others. He obsessively collects 1980s violent action movies and turns to them as a substitute for human interaction. His long-term unemployment and social anxiety leave him adrift in the city.

Tony wanders the streets of London in futile attempts to connect with people. His social withdrawal is palpable, and his longing for companionship remains unfulfilled. The city serves as both backdrop and reflection of his isolation.

Two drug addicts come to Tony's home to smoke heroin. He awkwardly tries to engage them but fails to make a connection. In a chilling moment, he suffocates one man with a plastic bag and traps the other in a cupboard before letting him go, convinced the terrified man won't report him.

Tony meets men at gay bars and brings them back to his flat. The interactions end with him rejecting their advances and killing them, a pattern that echoes the calm detachment of Dennis Nilsen. The killings occur after social rejection and manipulation.

During a visit to a brothel, he has only £5 and asks for a cuddle, failing to strike up any real conversation. The prostitute dismisses him and throws him out, underscoring his social ineptitude and vulnerability. This encounter reinforces his outsider status.

Tony dismembers and disposes of his victims by handling remains in his kitchen. He bags the remains and dumps them into the River Thames and London's canals to hide the evidence. The routine shows his cold, methodical approach to murder and concealment.

He shares a bed with a rotting corpse, one of his victims, highlighting his complete detachment from humanity. He drags other bodies around the house to the couch so he can sit and watch TV with them. The house becomes a macabre tableau of his crimes.

A volatile, trigger-tempered drunk neighbor becomes suspicious when Tony’s missing son draws attention to the man’s whereabouts. The neighbor bullies Tony, accusing him of being a paedophile and blaming him publicly, which pushes Tony toward the top of the suspect list. The neighborhood's fear increases as Tony’s strange behavior is scrutinized.

A police detective visits to question Tony about the missing boy, triggering a tense confrontation. The detective’s probing threatens to expose Tony, heightening the risk of discovery. During the interrogation, Tony eyes a sharp potato peeler, contemplating a dangerous possibility.

Just as the investigation closes in, the missing boy is found alive and returned to his family, absolving Tony of suspicion. The detective’s search is interrupted and the neighborhood revels in relief as the boy arrives home. Tony watches the scene from his living room window, a quiet observer of the outcome.

With the boy saved and the case closed, Tony walks through London as if nothing happened. The film leaves him seemingly unhindered, hinting that he will continue his murderous ways. The city continues around him, undisturbed by his secret life.