So the folks out at Lions Gate sent a copy of Peacock for review, and by every indication, this sucker was going to be a doozy right from the word go.  And indeed, on that score, Peacock did not disappoint.

Peacock is the story of John Skillpa, a timid bank clerk from the tiny town of Peacock, Nebraska.  John’s got an interesting secret that’s very nearly revealed one fine day when a train derails and sails through his own backyard, smashing into the planks of his back porch.  And as the entire town is focused on the events of that morning, John’s secret is very nearly revealed.  John’s got a second personality, a lady by the name of Emma who helps take care of John, cooking and cleaning and suchlike.  Now John–and Emma–have to try and keep their secret safe while the town keeps them under incredibly close scrutiny, an act that’s going to do horrible things to John’s sanity.

See, the great part about this is that Emma was never really intended for public consumption.  John is the face that everybody sees–the one who goes to work and pays the bills and is seen by the folks of Peacock.  In fact, it’s clear that no one really knows that Emma’s even there.  But Emma’s doing a lot more out in the open these days, and that’s what’s really screwing with John’s already damaged mind.  The line between John and Emma is becoming very, very blurry, and that’s really having an affect on both of them.

Where in the beginning Emma is little more than a domestic cipher designed to give John a handle on that “woman’s work” so necessary for survival (this is set in an era in which it really was woman’s work, so kindly restrain the flames), Emma is now becoming more her own person.  She was never supposed to be, so this is revealing a lot of strange and some downright unpleasant things, even some things that John only half-remembered.

Though I have to admit, my suspension of disbelief engines are running white-hot and screaming in horror at the fact that, despite that “Emma” is showing her face literally ALL OVER TOWN, not one person, not even ONE, notices that Emma is just John in a dress and wig.  Not even the town’s COP can tell!  Seriously, BARNEY FIFE could’ve caught on to this and here’s Officer Oblivious McGonigle who doesn’t know a dude in drag when he sees one!

But if you can get past that one teensie little pickle–no pun intended!–what you’re going to get is a drama of incredible depth and sheer raw twistiness, packed with terrific performances.  Especially by Cillian Murphy–you haven’t SEEN insanity until you’ve seen a man have a fight with his wife who happens to be himself!  The ending is something of a strange disappointment, but considering how the rest of it goes, it’s well worth your time.

The Screenhead Ten Scale hands Peacock, a bizarre, unique masterwork of drama and suspense, a nine out of ten for sheer mindblowing.  It’s not every day you see a movie do THIS…even if it’s not very easy to explain just what “this” is.