Tollbooth (2021) User Reviews

Should be Rated Higher

[emryse · 7/10 · 12 January 2022]

I have no idea why this film has been rated so low, 5.5 stars. Personally I thought that the actors were all good, the set pieces funny and the story an interesting divergence from the usual boredom that is life in Wales. I wasn't blown away by the comedy but I did get a good few laughs, my big hangup would be the soundtrack although, I'm sure this film was working with a tight budget and it gets the job done. I liked the camera work, the cinematography was excellently done and while I think that the story may not be everyone's cup of tea it is good. When watching the film you can pick out the inspirations the director and screen writer had. Namely I would guess Tarantino, Edgar Wright and Wes Anderson, also possibly Monty Python. I don't think the film hits the same heights as it's contemporaries but still it is enjoyable. I reluctantly live in Wales so perhaps that is why I got the humour and it just doesn't translate well over seas, either way I can see myself watching this film again in the future.

7/10 but could be pushed to an 8 on further viewings.

What did they say?

[pbh-11921 · 7/10 · 9 May 2022]

Thought this was a good movie but the only problem is the lack of subtitles. Being deaf I have to rely on subtitles. So the comment about Americans not understanding the speed in which we speak is really silly and the person really hasn't thought this out properly.

David Lynchis! A good one

[monsuramin · 7/10 · 28 August 2021]

Yes, David Lynch was the name that hit my head when I was watching this, of course it's not into a league of great movies. But still the slow pace, character build up, the grim backdrop, and the background music all blended well. Both the lead actors and most of the others did a fair job. Overall it's a good movie, a real movie, way better than the netflix junks.

Not bad

[antide-42376 · 6/10 · 24 November 2022]

I struggled with 'The Toll' for the first half hour or so as I found the plot to be muddled and all over the place. Gradually though things fell into place and made some kind of sense. At times this movie tries way too hard to be quirky and the influence from other movies is blatantly obvious. 'Fargo', 'Pulp Fiction' and any spaghetti western you care to mention spring to mind. Elements of Tarantino. Guy Ritchie and Sergio Leonne are so obvious that it can detract from the overall impact of this movie.

I did enjoy it though, especially after the first half of the movie. Yes, it does try too hard to be clever, but it is worth a watch.

Quirky black comedy

[Sergiodave · 6/10 · 10 September 2021]

This movie was made by a Welsh lover of Quentin Tarantino and Ennio Morricone, unfortunately having the talent of neither; although it was enjoyable in parts, it felt like an extended sunday night TV programme, rather than a movie. One comment I will make is to the reviewer who doesn't understand the need for subtitles. Most foreigners, including Americans can't understand UK accents or keep up with our pace of speech.

Quirky but not worth the price of a cinema ticket,.

[stevvia · 2/10 · 30 July 2021]

Hopeful anticipation took us out on a wet cold Friday night to see this film. The trailer and cinema review did in fact portray the plot as having some depth albeit slightly noir. The fact that we were the only people in the cinema should have been a warning. Started off as a slow burner with much to like in the initial character introduction, however The Toll took it's toll on our patience, my partner fell asleep during the highlight shoot them all dead climax and I was left confused by too many unresolved sub plots. 2 stars, one for each of the main characters who did their best with the rubbish script.

Took its toll.

it had so much.....

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 27 August 2021]

Potency and potential to become something great comedylike, but the way this black sort of comedy comes to a conclusion is not what most of the viewers will have and the critics might dismay at all costs.

But it is a try to tell a story about a group of loose connected hillbillie cymrian hudlums, that cant differ and aipad(irishman) from an eyepad from an ipad, and hell is let loose due to these technical differences, and its all driven from the one and only left, except for the severn bridge, tollroad in the welsh governance of her majesty the queens united kingdom.. what the toll is is not said, but youre very welcome to pay your deeds in blood...and its lawness or the lack of it is tried and handled by a rookie member of the proud constabulary of pembrokshire, who handles things by the book, at least the books she is lend, by the ''not say much''inhabitants of this proud parts of the shire

its a sort of a messy story, that has a nanometric thick storyline, i like some of the acting and that they speak a language that even a norwegian viking maight understand, but a success story for the silverscreen it aint. But if you like the welsh kinda thermosified and impertinent way of behaviour towards strangers, then the grumpy old man recommends.a warning to all that cant stand the sight of some bloody killings and coldbloded behaviour...

Nicht Toll

[frukuk · 1/10 · 10 September 2022]

I got the feeling the scriptwriter probably thought he had dreamt up a whole range of quirky characters and that their interactions were bound to be humorous. Well, he failed on both counts.

A female Elvis impersonator and a mumbling sidekick are just two examples of the characters who are so very far away from being truly quirky. And the height of the humour here seems to be a non-integrating immigrant to Wales who himself moans about immigrants to England not being bothered to integrate.

(What? A review now needs to be at least 600 characters? 300, I could understand -- but 600? This is just encouraging repetition. I mean, people will just repeat themselves. Not get to the point. Just waffle on. Ad infinitum. Ad nauseam. Et cetera.)

The Toll

[mbayley-76831 · 7/10 · 4 February 2024]

I am sure some of the scenes were filmed at RAF St David's. My honeymoon was spent at Caerfachel just a few hundred yard away from this old airfield. I well remember forty two years ago walking down the lane from our cottage, a newly married man of 26 to look at this deserted old RAF field. Memories abound from those far off days. The sense of unreality that I had, after fi.be year finally persuaded this lovely woman to tak me as her husband. The amazement that we had gone through a ceremony, she hadn't run away and we had made it to Pembrokeshire. A wedding followed by a tremendous storm. A wedding night in a remote Herefordshire inn, totally celibate I'm sorry to say. And, finally, to our honeymoon cottage. Again,I'm sorry to say. Celibate. However, the scenery was lovely.

25 years too late

[arthurdaleystrilby · 2/10 · 20 August 2022]

Reminiscent of the lock stock type of films of the late 90s but without any of the originality or ingenuity. Even the lead female character looked like Frances McDormand in Fargo. Ultimately pointless and woefully behind the times.

Charming low key comic story

[chris-h-3 · 8/10 · 28 August 2021]

Enjoyed this film, which is clearly shot on a limited budget, with a small cast who were all excellent.

It manages to tell an interesting story set within some well shot Welsh scenery and it kept me watching to the end. If you want an action film this clearly isn't the film for you but as a small scale character piece with some humour then I'd give this a try. Kind of in a similar vein to Restless Natives if anyone reading this remembers that film.

Not great but not terrible

[wbilfta · 6/10 · 16 January 2023]

I mixed it up with another similar movie. It was a man on the shore who had a bad past and had to deal with an old cop when his past caught up. It was a fun romp as where this is just not. Was easily able to watch with subtitles so not sure about that complaint. If anyone remembers that film please reply. The premise was similar at the beginning but not at all the same. Just trying to get to the limit of words. Happy New year all! I still am not sure what happened in this movie but again close caps no problem. Does anyone wonder why we need six hundred charactyers or any limit at all. I shopuld be able to come on annd review with a simple this sucks or wow awesome. Thank you for your time.

Was enjoyable till the twist

[nuffsaid-63571 · 1/10 · 6 June 2022]

Was an ok atmospheric supernatural thriller, characters were interesting enough until the uninspired and obvious twist end. Like some seriously lazy wrighting.

Failed attempt at dark British comedy.

[robh · 3/10 · 11 April 2024]

I found this film on Prime Video having never heard of it and I'll probably forget about it pretty quickly.

I was hoping for something more polished than what I found, something funnier, something cleverly crafted.

The first thing that jumped out was the location, a toll booth, but where and for what ?. A small transportable office dropped in the middle of nowhere. It looked like a disused airstrip. My mind is instantly preoccupied with what's the toll booth for ?, since toll roads are extremely rare. Then a character shows up in a top down convertible on a cold and gloomy looking day. Then another convertible classic car shows up. Later a classic Bentley makes an appearance as if we're watching Minder from the 80s. Budget wasted on out of place cars.

The creators are desperately trying to make a Guy Richie film but deliver a Shane Richie panto.

Throw in a couple of idiot comic relief characters with lines that scream "this is the funny bit, laugh now".

Poor Michael Smiley deserves better than this nonsense.

A cop is seen driving with a blue flashing light inside her car and this sums up the lack of effort they went to to make any of this believable.

The "twist' at the end is as curved the abandoned runway used as the location.

1 star for Smiley. 2 for the scenery and the rest goes to the film makers.

Tell me this was a college project and I'll re-rate it with more sympathy.

Quirky black comedy

[claredawson-77982 · 9/10 · 1 September 2021]

Really enjoyed this eccentric story which uses the Welsh landscape to great effect - creating a storyline that moves along but that feels imbued with a languorous quality. The cast was fantastic, particularly loved Annes Elwy.

If you like quirky and off beat I'd highly recommend.

Low Key and Brilliant

[superenigmatix · 9/10 · 19 March 2022]

I loved this movie, great acting, twisted storylines and some dark laughs.

I don't understand why it's rating is so low, some people have no sense of humour.

Amazing dark comedy

[just808 · 10/10 · 4 September 2021]

Haven't watched something like this in year, simply hilarious. Obviously filmed on a limited budget, but more than a B Movie. The steady pace of the film (which reflects Wales quite well) is what sets it apart from other films, If you have a dark sense of humour and watch gangster movies your love it.

Dark humor brilliant acting well written.

[pagnyr94 · 8/10 · 12 May 2023]

Ok so if you like quirky, dark, a bit off the wall, really small town with comedy sprinkled in then it's here. I absolutely give this gem a solid 8! Extremely well written, and wonderfully directed. Cinematography is fantastic, and all of the acting is right on the money Each character plays their part exceptionally well and I'll give a lot of that to the director.

Michael Smilley and Annes Elway are absolute standouts!! You can literally feel they were motion says they're acting.

Think David Lynch meets Wes Anderson and then you have it.

The storyline is very easy to follow although you're not certain what's going to happen next and what's better than that.

I would highly recommend this.

You are honestly asking for subtitles?

[CraigNewman1973 · 8/10 · 30 August 2021]

Americans bemuse me, asking for bloody subtitles, yet i seem to understand all of your accents? No wonder the world says 'dumb yanks'. On point, what an excellent little indie, full of the cream of British actors/comedians. Tight as a gnats chuff script, great acting and cinematography and lovely dark humour peppered throughout. Again i don't give 8's lightly but come on...Subtitles? (it had them for the welsh bits) Go and watch a bit of World cinema (And not Hollywood crud) this film was great. Well deserving of the 8, as it was written brilliantly. Meh, heathens make my blood boil. Anyway 8+ (just to anger the stupid)

Definitely worth a watch

[Flower71 · 10/10 · 2 December 2022]

Small town Wales bleak setting with some brilliant actors and a really good steady flow (albeit a fairly gentle pace) of darkly comic pieces. Paul Kaye is moving in to typecast territory but that doesn't make his character any less funny. I loved the scene in the pub when traffic cop Catrin (Annes Elwy, who I haven't seen in anything else but would hope to) is trying to get info from the locals about Toll Booth.

This does feel like the kind of film you'd get late on a Fri or Sat night on BBC 2 but I tend to seek out those films anyway! With a run time of 1hr 23 it's the perfect length of film for me. Having looked it up here it's already lead me off to look at a few other things the cast have been in.

Give it a watch!

Possibly my new favourite movie

[jennavoncarate · 10/10 · 1 November 2021]

Honestly I just loved this movie. The Toll is endlessly entertaining, intriguing with that dark, dry British wit that is so amusing. My fellow cinema-goers and I had multiple laugh out loud moments and I walked out wanting to watch it for the first time all over again. Definitely a movie that I'll watch again and again.

This truly is a great movie.

[joanpasley · 10/10 · 16 January 2023]

I had just seen this movie on Showtime. It was worth it. I know a Lot of people know Iwan Rheon from GOT. But, he was also in shows like Misfits; and Vicious. He does have comedic chops. The rest of the cast, shines also. It's one of my favorite movies of 2022. Think Fargo; meets The Big Lebowski. The Welsh countryside where this movie was shot, also shines. The plot involves stolen money; mistaken identity, and other assorted hijinks. Also, there's a stellar performance from Paul Kaye as the beleaguered tollbooth operator. If you're looking for a crime thriller/comedy; you've come to the right place.

A very quirky and riveting tale

[robertbedson · 10/10 · 26 March 2023]

I really enjoyed this. These days I get fidgety in so many films, not on this one. It's got pace and so many unexpected additions and twists. The cast was great, the photography too is an example to many directors these days.

You could see what was going on and hear clearly what was said, no mumbling and no unnecessarily dim lighting. I find these particular fads of modern cinema intensely annoying. This was just a joy.

It was a low budget film, but they made great use of every penny.

The story and the writing was excellent, it all made perfect sense. The characters all had foibles which is common in some remote parts of Wales.

Overall nothing more to say than fantastic, well done to all.

As evidence shows - This film is not for dweebs.

[hedrummond · 10/10 · 23 October 2022]

I thought this was going to be another horror flick about some maniac killing people at a toll booth, however, it was not that. Instead it was a dead-on pitch black comedy in the realm of the Coen Brothers or Martin McDonagh. The only person in it that you may have heard of is Iwan Rheon of the Game of Thrones. The acting in this film is way above average and the setup and denouement is brilliantly executed. Like "Fargo" it's about 80 minutes long, however, every minute is worth it. I am really glad I finally gave in and watched this as I have been passing it up since it's been offered as I never heard of it and I didn't notice it until Halloween Season, therefore, I just assumed I was getting another one of those Fright Night offerings which usually has me thinking it was going to just be another crappy view. What can I say. The film is something that I will probably watch again. If you like a film that really tickles your funny bone while exercising your brainpan, this is it kid. It aint for the dumb ones.