Tom Kingsley

Tom Kingsley isn’t just some bloke behind a camera—he’s the kind of director who takes a script, rips it up, and pieces it back together in a way that makes you squint at the screen and go, “Wait, what?” Born in ’85, Kingsley’s been quietly shaking up British film and TV for years, and honestly, it’s kind of wild how much ground he’s covered. People first caught onto him with “Black Pond” (2011), this weird, darkly funny indie flick that treads that line between comedy and “uhh, should I be laughing?” The film’s got this homegrown, lo-fi vibe, but it’s so sharp—Kingsley doesn’t waste a second of your attention. Then there’s “The Darkest Universe” (2016). Oh man, talk about a curveball. It’s a missing person mystery, but also a love story, but also, somehow, a comedy about canal boats? No one else would even attempt that weird blend, but Kingsley and his crew pull it off with this deadpan, melancholic humor that just...hits. The dude’s got an eye for awkwardness that feels painfully real. And if you’ve ever landed on “Stath Lets Flats” (2018), you probably didn’t know Kingsley directed some of the madness behind that surreal letting agency. Goofy, cringey, and totally unique, the show’s a cult favorite, and his fingerprints are all over its style—awkward silences, bonkers characters, and a tone that’s somehow both sweet and savage. Basically, Tom Kingsley makes stuff that sticks with you, even if you can’t quite explain why. He’s one of those rare directors who actually seems to get how weird, funny, and sad real life can be.