For better or worse, most of us would agree that your first great love is a dramatic experience. But for 27-year-old Moll Huntford, the woman at the centre of gripping psychological thriller Beast, that love transforms her world. The feature debut of director Michael Pearce, Beast finds Moll (Jessie Buckley) isolated on the island of Jersey. A grown woman treated like a child by her bossy mum (Geraldine James), Moll has a boring job, few friends and little hope of change. And an incident in her past means she’s treated as a pariah by a community that knows everybody’s business.

When Pascal (Johnny Flynn) bursts into Moll’s life, the attraction is immediate – he is everything Moll isn’t. Pascal has no family breathing down his neck, shuns the locals and is confident in who he is. To Moll, Pascal is fascinating, but she isn’t the only person interested in him. Somebody is killing young women on the island and the local police suspect Pascal. Moll has to then choose between the safe life she hates and a man who may be a serial killer.

While Beast is an incredibly tense slowburner, it’s the stunning turn from Jessie Buckley that makes it such a stand-out. The up-and-coming 28-year-old Irish actor has starred in TV shows War and Peace and Taboo, but really finds her form as Moll, a strong, relatable heroine with hidden depths. In fact, Buckley delivers such a star turn that she’s been cast opposite Robert Downey Jr. in next year’s Doctor Dolittle remake. Part romance, part thriller, Beast is a fresh coming-of-age story that packs a twist on the traditional murder mystery. Prepare to be mesmerised – at times, this feels like a fairytale for grown-ups. Whatever you choose to call Beast, we’re certain that you won’t be able to stop talking about it.

Get free tickets to see Beast