Eddie Redmaynebecame known for his memorable roles inLes Misérables,The Theory of Everything,The Danish Girl, and theFantastic Beastsmovie series.Tom Sturridge, on the other hand, became known for his roles inWaiting For Forever,Mary Shelley,and his leading role in Netflix’sThe Sandman. Both actors have shown incredible range when starring as their characters on-screen, but there’s one movie that went under the radar early in their careers.
Like Mindsis a 2006 movie tagged as anunreliablenarrative psychological thrillerthat didn’t make it past the Australian box office. Redmayne stars as private school student Alex Forbes, who becomes entangled in the twisted, dark, mysterious, and macabre secrets of new student Nigel Colbie, played by Sturridge. The movie is a haunting one that dives into theunsettling relationship between the two characters that leads to manipulation, obsession, and dark beliefs.Like Mindsis an impressive display of the actors’ acting skills early in their careers that leaves audiences' skin crawling.
What Is ‘Like Minds’ About?
When a privileged teenager,Alex, is accused of murdering his boarding school roommate Nigel,a criminal psychologist named Sally Rowe (Toni Collette) is brought in to assess his mental state and whether Nigel’s death was an accident or part of a larger story. As Sally delves deeper into Alex’s past and his telling of events, she uncovers a dark intellectual obsession rooted in medieval burial rituals, secret societies, andpsychological manipulation.
Like Mindsunfolds through flashbacks and interviews, revealing the chilling bond between the two students and possibly more thanjust Nigel’s death as an isolated incident.The more Alex reveals, the more Sally begins to question the larger narrative, and her objectivity begins to crack.The boundaries between truth and obsession begin to blur as she uncovers more evidence, elite privilege going unchecked, and a complex relationship between Alex and Nigel that structures the narrative.
‘Like Minds’ Delves Into the Bizarre and Nauseating
As far as creepy thrillers go,Like Mindsis one to add to theinherently bizarre that perfectly fits into the genre. The stage is set with Sturridge’s character in police custody for the apparent murder of his schoolmate Nigel. By all accounts,the movie does the job of creating the whodunit and “was it really him?” scenario, questioning if Alex is a clever boy caught in a far more sinister game or is really a cold-blooded killer. He is depicted as this posh, rich kid who, through his narrative, appears to be the victim in Nigel’s macabre game. Between Alex’s demeanor in the interrogation room and retelling of the story, he makes you think otherwise.Was Alex revolted by what Nigel was teaching him? Or did it awaken a darker side to him?
What sets the movie apart is its unsettling atmosphere from the get-go that continues throughout the storyline.Like Mindsisn’t shy when it comes tothe bizarre, creepy, and downright nauseating scenes. It’s depicted throughNigel’s morbid curiosity with taxidermy and filleting open a pigeon and goes much further as he unveils his fascination with death, control, and psychological dominance—even necrophilia. There are scenes where even horror fans might feel the gurgle in their stomachs. Nigel is the “weirdo” that anyone would stay far away from for good reason, believing he has more than a few skeletons under his bed. Alex is soon entangled in Nigel’s web of ideologies linking medieval burial practices to modern-day moral decay, where death is not only a fascinationbut a tool for control.
The psychological thrilleris a gem of a movie that’s haunting, with each scene feeling claustrophobic as it’s set in a gothic boarding school setting that amplifies a sense of isolation and dread.Redmayne and Sturridge deliver goosebump-inducing performances, as audiences explore the twisted psychological labyrinth that leads to Nigel’s death and Alex in handcuffs.
Eddie Redmayne and Tom Sturridge Create a Haunting Duo
WithLike MindsbeingRedmayne’s first leading role early in his career, it set the stage for his ability to portray deeply complex and psychologically layered characters.His performance carried quiet intensity, balancing posh charm, vulnerability, and a creeping sense of menace.It’s seen in Alex’s present-day interview scenes with Sally as he appears before her as a broken young man, dealing with Nigel’s mind games and recounting what he thinks is the truth. But there are moments where Redmayne looks to the camera with an emotionless voidthat hints at something more sinister.
His performance is rivaled by Sturridge’s—equally unsettling but in a different way. While Alex is trying to appear innocent and a victim,Nigel is portrayed as someone who embraces his darker tendencies with no shame or guilt.Sturridge portrays him with a cold, unreadable stare and an unsettling calmness that doesn’t rely on theatrics.He conveys Nigel’s disturbing worldview with quiet conviction,a sense of intellectual superiority that is often accompanied by emotional detachment. ThroughoutLike Minds,audiences see Nigel as a manipulative genius and a damaged boy.
Tom Holland’s Best Performance Is Hidden in This Long-Forgotten, Star-Studded Netflix Crime Thriller
“What I’m about to do, I do because I have to, not because I want to.”
Redmayne and Sturridge play off each other seamlessly, keeping audiences guessing about the true dynamics between their characters.A tug-of-war tension that has everyone questioning who is influencing whom and whether Alex’s dark demise was inevitable.Together, the two actors elevate each other’s performances inLike Minds, where it becomes more than just a murder but a deeper exploration into identity and the sinister potential lurking in young minds.
In the end,Like Mindsisa slow-burning psychological thriller that doesn’t aim to comfort but to disturb.It does the job not only because of its eerily grey visuals and unsettling subject matter, but also due to the performances by Redmayne and Sturridge, as they deliver layered characters as young men whose relationship teeters between friendship, obsession, and destruction.Like Mindsis not for the squeamish but for someone intrigued by the complexities of the human psyche and blurring lines between victim and villain. There’s not even a clear-cut ending, but rather,something that leaves a lasting impression.
