Robert Carmichael is a gifted but socially awkward schoolboy living with his mum in Newhaven,a coastal town in the south of England.Despite his musical and intellectual ability,Robert is ostracized by most of his peers hanging out with the recently expelled Joe and schoolmate Ben.Joe's cousin Larry,a small-time crook fresh out of prison introduces Robert to ecstasy and cocaine.Robert's journey into drugs culminates into truly horrifying rape and murder..."The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael" is a very bleak and disturbing film.The acting of younger members of the cast is excellent as is the somber photography of Yorgos Arvantis.The climatic gang-rape/brutal violation and murder of a rich woman is quite graphic and truly disturbing.It rivals the anal rape of Monica Bellucci in "Irreversible" as being one of the most sadistic acts of sexual violence I have ever seen in a mainstream film.Still "The Great Ecstasy of Robert Carmichael" made me think after it was over and I applaud it for that.8 out of 10.
