The Death of Bunny Munro
Based on the novel of the same name by Nick Cave, The Death of Bunny Munro sees Matt Smith play the titular Bunny, a door-to-door beauty salesman and self-proclaimed womaniser. When he returns home to discover that his wife (Sarah Greene) has taken her own life, he takes his son Bunny Junior (Rafael Mathé) on a road trip across Brighton. Utterly unequipped to look after his child, the journey spirals into chaos as the pair process their grief, and Bunny’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic. Meanwhile, a mysterious serial killer is on the loose and is getting closer.
Smith gives one of the best performances of his career. He oozes with so much charisma at the start of this six-part series that it’s hard not to fall for Bunny’s charm and buy into his sales pitches. As the show goes on, however, cracks begin to appear on the surface of his suave persona to gradually reveal the damaged person underneath. Smith handles the portrayal of this deeply flawed and tragic character brilliantly, resulting in some profoundly affecting moments in the final episodes.
Mathé is likewise extraordinary in what is his debut performance. Alongside processing the loss of his mother, Junior also wrestles with the realisation that staying with his dad may not be what’s best. The script’s portrayal of neglect is heartbreaking, but its focus on the genuine affection between father and son is what makes its emotional journey hit that much harder. Other notable performances include Johann Myers as Bunny’s friend and fellow salesman Poodle and David Threlfall as the ferocious Bunny Senior. While neither gets much screen time, they nevertheless make huge impressions.
There’s an intoxicating air of coolness to this show. From an ethereal soundtrack composed by Cave and collaborator Warren Ellis to the almost supernatural presence of the killer putting a surreal twist on the early 2000s setting, the mini-series has an atmosphere that sucks viewers into the wonderful strangeness of it all. There’s even a musical number complete with a cameo from Cave.
The Death of Bunny Munro is a darkly funny, intriguingly weird, and often devastating tale of grief that’s led by stellar turns from Smith and Mathé.
Andrew Murray
The Death of Bunny Munro is released on Sky on 20th November 2025.
Watch the trailer for The Death of Bunny Munro here:
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