I must admit I went into this film not expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was. I'm sure many non-UK viewers will probably only recognize Helen Mirren's name out of the cast but to me Jim Broadbent, a superb actor who mysteriously never really became an international star, (despite having won an Oscar) totally steals it with a charming excellent central performance and a twinkle in his eye.
The whole cast to be fair are excellent all round and the script has lots of witty humour, some of which is particularly British and may be lost on foreign audiences (such as the joke he tells in court which plays on the Newcastle/Sunderland rivalry). Both Broadbent and Mirren pull off very credible North East accents and the films relatively low budget gives the film an 'intimate' feel that, as another reviewer pointed out, makes this film feel a little like an Ealing black comedy.
The film does have some occasional fruity language and a sex scene so it may not be entirely suitable for children or prudish viewers but if that doesn't bother you and you like the kind of big hearted, low key British crime capers with a twist in the tale from yesteryear such as 'The Lavender Hill Mob' or 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' then you may well enjoy this tale.
