User reviews

Just what did all the critics have against this film? True: It does look like the directors have run out with a camera and made a film on the cheap and for a bit of a giggle. But then surely that was the point. This is part farce, part Brit-gang film, part just plain old having a laugh. Its not the greatest film ever but its not actually all that bad either. Give it a go and don't judge it as something everybody else said it was trying to be. Simply enjoy it. It can't hurt can it.

I saw this film on a whim and I have to say I am glad I did! The cast is brilliant. The plot is simple yet effective and the humour is hillarious!

Frankly, this is the best film to ever come out of the UK bar classics like Monty Python and the Italian Job.

There are so many memorable scenes like the heist where they have all taken viagra, the stabbing in the pub and, of course, Denise Van Outen doing her bit with a cucumber.

What makes this film so good is the sub plots. While the main story ticks along the viewer can also follow each characters own mini story.

Watch it with an open mind though. It is not great cinema but does not pretend to be. Just enjoy the jokes and cast.

At last a film that mentions my hometown!! In the last scene of the film gang boss Ray (Ray Winstone) asks rival gang boss Sean (Sean Pertwee) about his henchman Matthew (Rhys Ifans) `Wheres he from, the lad?' Sean answers under his breath `Wrexham' – well in fact fellas, Rhys hails from just up the road in Rhuthin.

Not a bad film, I have my suspicions that much of the dialogue was improvised and I realised that most of the characters in it shared their first names with the actor playing them, which was unique. Obviously inspired by the popularity of LOCK STOCK AND 2 SMOKING BARRELS, this was one of the better clones (Hardmen and Rancid Aluminium being by far the worst). The kind of film that a group of lads should watch with a few beers on a Saturday night after the footy.

I seriously don't understand some of the people who comment on this site.

THIS FILM IS AN ABSOULUTE 24 CARROT GOLD ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION.

This is my first comment on this site and I simply couldn't read the garbage written about this film without saying something.

This is one of my all time favourite films. The characters are superb and some of the scenes are just pure comic genius.

MAY I REMIND EVERYONE WHO DOES'NT KNOW.....This movie was all done ad-libbing, on the spot with a very loose script. And the single greatest thing about this film is that 90% of the humour is on the spur of the moment. When Ray and the gang are laughing.......THEY REALLY ARE LAUGHING.

Anyone who didn't enjoy the the comedy in the shootout scene in this movie doesn't possess a sense of humour. Simple as that.

AWESOME MOVIE Don't let any of these 90 year old, Pride and Prejudice loving fools tell you any different.

P.S.....never read ratings on this site BEFORE watching a movie, only AFTER. I have nearly been put off watching some right gems because of bad scores on IMDb. On the other end of the scale, I have watched some right tripe with scores of 10/10.....A mistake I will no longer make.

This was actually a very worthwhile film. I didn't know what to expect and was glad I paid the $2.10 to see this movie. Colorful characters fill the screen in every scene. At first I was caught off guard, not knowing this was a dark comedy...but I just found myself laughing too damn much. At first the film seemed to be sort of pointless, like a Lock Stock rip off. It matured into something very different, however. Whatever you do, watch the entire movie. You won't be let down. Great acting from Ray Winstone, Sean Pertwee, Jonny Miller and, of course, Jude Law.

It wasn't bad, it wasn't good. It gave me a laugh as did "Snatch", but there were a few problems with the movie. Nothing seemed to flow or tie in quite right. As for being realistic, I don't think so. The underworld would surely never allow anyone to join so easily. I would have sat back and enjoyed it if there were enough laughs, however there were not so I ended out noticing the faults instead.

I borrowed this movie off of a friend and me and my husband thought it was the best movie we had seen in ages. We really enjoyed the whole movie. It was hilarious,the characters were fantastic and they all played really good parts. I would recommend this movie to anyone with a sense of humor,who likes a good laugh. we have watched this movie three times so far and every time we watch it we laugh even more at the things we didn't notice the time before. The script was well written and well acted. Well done to all the cast. Whoever got all these great actors together well done to you too, as we think the combination was excellent. Thanks for the great entertainment. Brilliant!

People who live in the U.K will recognise the cast and the format of this film as the same as a BBC tv programme called Operation Goodguys . The only exception is that there are a few big names chucked in the movie and that it is a little more adult in it's content. The whole feel of the series and this film is that most of the dialogue is improvised....or thats the way it seems. If this is actually scripted i would be very suprised because Some superb actors take part in this movie such as Ray Winston, Jude Law and Kathy Burke and they all look like they are improvising. I suspect the storyline didnt take a great deal of working out either as it is hardly gripping. This a poor british gangster movie compared to the like of Lock , Stock or Sexy Beast but it does have a certain fascination that i cant quite put my finger on. 6 out of 10.

This film has a fantastic cast and some real laugh-out-load comedy moments. Several actors from Operation Goodguys feature in the film and if you've even seen and enjoyed that TV comedy masterpiece you'll enjoy this film as the style of comedy is much the same. The plot revolves around a new member being initiated into a London underworld gang. The new gang member then goes on the warpath creating carnage between two rival gangs. The plot is quite dark and seems quite separate from the comedy scenes and therein lies the problem with this film. You're never quite sure when someone gets hospitalised whether it'll be a slapstick comedy 'Carry On' style moment or a Goodfellas style trip to the morgue. This leaves the tonality of the film in a complete mess which is a real shame because if it had been pitched as a pure farce/comedy, in the Operation Goodguys mould, it would have been a cracking film. Sadly they didn't and, although the comedy scenes are fantastic in their own right, as a whole, the film seems to have an identity crisis leaving the viewer somewhat bemused. The ending also leaves a lot to be desired, it really didn't add anything to the film and, if anything, left a sour taste in the mouth. Some of the, clearly improvised scenes, shouldn't have made the final cut and some of the acting, particularly from Jude Law and Sean Pertwee, was wooden and unconvincing.

I seem to remember this film was not very well received when it was released in Britain, some critics loved it, most didn't. After Lock Stock there was a sudden spate of 'mockney'gangster films and this, very unfairly, was lumped in with the also rans. Its actually a lot of fun, the cast is excellent, (Has Ray Winstone ever given a bad performance?) the script is funny, and the pace never flags. Special mention must be made of the karaoke scenes in which all the cast sing for real, everyone acquits themselves well with special mentions to Sean Pertwee and Johnny Lee Miller (singing one of my all time favourites 'Avenues and Alleyways') If you enjoy gangster films or are fans of any of the the cast then this is a must see movie.

Being released in 2000, Love, honour and obey had some pretty stiff British gangster competition from the likes of Snatch, Sexy Beast and Gangster no.1. While clearly not a patch on any of those films it's actually pretty good in it's own right and deserves a spot on any Brit gangster marathon. It's got a great cast led by Ray Winston, Jude Law, Jonny Lee Miller, Sean Pertwee and Sadie Frost supported by a who's who of British character actors. It has some great dialogue however it's definitely a film for domestic British audiences, most of the humor would be lost in translation particularly in USA. The movie is made up of very short scenes, many only present for comic effect and the whole has the feel of a quick fire comedy sketch show. There's also a distinct lack of any gangster action and while there is a single shoot out no body gets shot which is a bit farcical. In the end though there's a strong cautionary tale here of being careful what one wishes for.

A film that seems like it was made by a 2nd year film student, delighted that they've managed to blackmail the crème de la crème of 90s British acting talent into being involved.

The plot involves a roster of Brit pack alumni gurning their way through a shrieking Guy Ritchie homage dahn Lahndaan tahn. Sound production sounds like the boom was rattling around a fetid urinal for 80% of the time. Which may or may not have been the intention.

If you came of age watching The Big Breakfast and reading Sky magazine, this will be an amusing, if bizarre, little trot down memory lane. Not for anyone born after 2000.

Contrary to the other reviewer, I end the film wanting to add it to my collection. This movie has most of the elements of my favorite films, which sometimes include a bit of fun, self-indulgence, glam and humor. Oh, did I fail to mention gratuitous violence (ala the Catholic school girl from Kill Bill or the James Gandolfini scene in True Romance)? Jude Law makes me smile throughout the film, I see what he saw in Sadie Frost, and I must say Ray Winstone (Sexy Beast) is by far my favorite British mafioso. Great performances by Kathy Burke (Sid and Nancy), and Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill). The gang from The Sopranos never had this much fun. Someone else watch this movie, so I can find out if I'm crazy....no one appreciated Very Bad Things but me! :)

A great British movie that hasn't been seen by enough people. No idea why it didn't resonate when it was released. It still stands up well. Definitely worth a watch.

This film opened in London in April 2000 and was roundly panned as inept and self-indulgent. The 'Time Out' reviewer professed annoyance at the script's instant-classic nonsense line: 'Don't mac me off like a two-bob,' a imaginary bit of Sarf London street jargon. But the film's Jabberwocky dialogue is an essential part of its charm. It's a takeoff on cockney gangster films (Raymond Creed, head wideboy, is loosely modeled on Reg Kray, and is even mistakenly called 'Kray' in the DVD subtitling) and the violence is about as fearsome as that of a Roadrunner cartoon.

The best bits are tasteless and edgy, and certainly not everyone's cup of tea. A pathetic fat little hanger-on (Fat Alan) is forever being stabbed, clubbed, and tortured, or force-fed microdot LSD and made to eat dogfood. Another whingy gang member is chronically impotent and always being offered 'helpful' sexual advice from his colleague, who explains at one point how erections are caused by the penis bone being thrust forward from the spinal column during a state of sexual excitement.

The front of the DVD box reminds us that Loaded magazine had this pegged as "UNMISSABLE" - says it all really, doesn't it? If you're not familiar with Loaded then think puerile crap for-the-boys, which could be a subtitle for the film. Horribly hackneyed representations of your classic east end gangster type abound, while every intended moment of humour leaves you staring blankly at the screen, if not sighing heavily with impatience. Other people on here have accused this film of being "fun" - sorry kids, but the laughs in here are cheap and obvious: hahaha he just stabbed the fat guy; hehehe he's wearing a strap on dildo; ah the hard-knocks are dressed as bridesmaids. Hilarious. Of course I will now be accused of 'not getting' the dark humour in all of this – please, I get it, as would any 9 year old. If you want to see how dark humour should be done then watch Chopper, and then try to tell me that LH&O is better (I'll shoot you down).

There's no sign of talent or a good idea in this film, despite it having the backing of the BBC and a respectable cast, speaking of which lets just dispel a few myths here. "Ray Winstone is great." No he isn't, he has one trick that he does well – the London wise-guy hard-man thing – but apart from that he's got no range. If you saw him in the ITV drama where he played Henry VIII then you'll know what I mean, or if you could bear that terrible King Arthur film – his was the most embarrassing performance, after Clive Owen of course. Sean Pertwee is the best thing about this film, being one of the few who doesn't overact.

Lock, Stock was a good film because it had an intelligent script and an appealing array of characters – LH&O has neither. We love gangster films like Goodfellas because (ultimately) they're intelligently made by an intelligent director – again, an accusation that cannot be levelled at this tripe. LH&O is just another desperately shameless example of a British film getting financed because there's still a post Lock, Stock market to cash in on. But this bottom-feeder is nowhere near in quality, and is particularly annoying given how deeply in love with itself it appears to be (a characteristic it shares with the equally shoddy Layer Cake). Others have made the observation, but it is worth repeating in summary, that it feels like a series of painfully derivative set pieces centred around weak punch-lines. So, to counter Loaded's opinion (always easy), I would say this film is very, very "MISSABLE".

Bored with his hum-drum life as a North London postman, Jonny approaches his pal Jude about getting in with the North London Mob run by Jude's uncle Ray. After winning favour with Ray by bringing a credit card scam into the gang, Jonny starts to spice things up by causing trouble with the rival mob from South London. But although Jonny has won respect from his fellow gang members, he's also getting ideas above his station, and it's not long before his actions put everyone in danger, including their families.

So a load of well known British actors make a humorous tongue in cheek satire of the gangster genre, and many failed to get it. Working from a very basic plot and script, directors and writers Dominic Anciano and Ray Burdis gathered the likes of Ray Winstone, Sadie Frost, Jonny Lee Miller, Jude Law, Rhys Ifans, Kathy Burke and Sean Pertwee. And let them run with it. Creating a funny ad-libbed picture that the cast clearly enjoyed making, and really the viewers should be in on the joke as well. Anyone expecting some hard edged Brit gangster film are in for a big disappointment, there is violence and there are drugs, but nothing here is designed for shock value. This really is a fun movie, slyly poking the ribs of gangs and their bosses whilst cutely reminding all that families get involved as well. From the use of Viagra to karaoke sequences, Love, Honour and Obey is a British treasure that has been badly misunderstood. If the fact that the coup de grace at the finale is played out in fancy dress doesn't tell you that it has been taking the urine, well you have walked down the wrong garden path. 8/10

A stellar ensemble cast is outdone by some good writing in a laiugh filled london gangster caper film. I wasn't expecting something so enjoyable when i viewed this on late night TV/

A stellar cast cannot save this horror show "mish-mash" of genres, that can never be sure what it wants to be. The comedy is crude, lazily written and totally unfunny, and the plot is a complete mess of meaningless "what shall we do next" storytelling, that goes nowhere. Jonny goes from courier to killer in a matter of frames, the violence is actually so bad that the punch and gun fire noises sound like they have been stolen from a 50's western. The words "small budget crap" sum up this tosh. I guess this would only appear on the CV of Miss Van Outen, the rest of them would surely be too embarrassed. Lock Stock this certainly isn't!

From the hilarious opening karaoke sequence (which I can and will watch again and again) I found myself enjoying this film immensely. Although at times disjointed the laughs came thick and fast as visual and verbal jokes flew around. The sex and violence was always played for laughs and often just suggested rather than displayed in gory detail. Just thinking of the blow up doll, the erect arabs and 'say something in Italian' still makes me laugh (now you need to watch to find out what I'm talking about).The many karaoke scenes in the film were occasionally over-indulgent but still good fun especially Elvis.

As for the ending being described by some as 'too serious' - how can this fancy dress scene be anything but out and out comedy?

Don't expect a cinematic gangster masterpiece - this is purely good fun and although not as clever and twisting as Lock, Stock it will stick in my mind for a long time. To Anciano and Burdis I say "more of this please or I'll throw you in the river!"

Somebody asked me to nominate my least favourite film ever the other day.

While I have all kind of problems naming my favourite, picking the other end of the scale has been a doddle since I've seen this. For once, believe the hype and avoid this truly atrocious film.

There's nothing wrong with treating violence as a bit of knockabout fun. There's nothing wrong with a light-hearted crime caper. There's not even anything

wrong with Karaoke. What is wrong (and verging on the criminal) is attempting any of these without the slightest bit of skill or charm. If you're going to improvise, hire comedians or quick-witted actors who can do it - don't make otherwise

skilled professionals like Winstone and Burke look like they've just stepped out of a GCSE drama course. If you're going to stage a shoot-out, take a moment to think about it - don't just stand around shouting 'bang!' and refusing to die, like five-year-olds playing cowboys and indians. In fact, if you're going to

contemplate taking a job with either Mr Anciano or Mr Burdiss, leave the country. Your agent and the viewing public will thank you.

To put this in scale... I saw this film for free as a reviewer. At the screening I was also well fed and supplied with enough beers to fill the running time. And I still resent just how wasted those two hours of my life were. The film

_really_is_that_bad_.

Just avoid.