User reviews

Don't believe the ten star ratings. This is poor. Very poor.

Depressingly bad script, poor performances and visuals devoid of any soul.

Not sure how the producers managed to pour 1.3m into this steaming pile of doggy doo but someone, somewhere must be laughing their socks off.

Even by low TV movie standards this is terrible.

Stephen Tomlinson is no movie star and he proves it in what amounts to a dull, plodding and brow furrowed non performance. The rest of the cast from the evil pedophile and his crew to the rest of the depressingly familiar, seen a million times, figures that pop up are non-entities.

Harrigan is boring, depressing and instantly forgettable Another nail in the coffin of independent British film.

Much exaggeration, and appears to be quite politically biased. I don't remember any of this in the seventies, surely it would have made the media even in those non internet days?..

Except it isn't. And it never was. Life up north in the 1970s -- and especially, England's Northeast -- was nothing like the monochrome wasteland presented here. Nor was policing like this, either, despite the protestations of those connected with this low-rent low-budget outing.

Absent its premise, therefore, of hard men in hard times in hard places, "Harrigan" is no more than a straight-to-video made-for-TV affair, its simplicities of plot and characterisation conveyed via clichés so stupefyingly banal that one positively yearns for the raw energy of yesteryear's Caine and Hodges in the same part of the world at the same time as this.

"Harrigan" doesn't convince at any level. Stephen Tompkinson has already had a stab at playing a TV policeman -- the leaden "DCI Banks" -- and failed utterly in that role, so why he's here essaying the same kind of grim teeth-gritted stoicism all over again is baffling.

About the only thing that does ring true is the way "Harrigan" -- too close to Don Siegel's "Madigan" for my liking, though it's doubtful anyone involved in this British production will even have heard of that superb US police procedural -- seems to have been shot on a budget typical of a 1970s British TV show.

But that doesn't redeem anything. Unrelentingly drab, dismal, and derivative of a thousand B-Movies that have gone before -- including Westerns as well as copper operas -- "Harrigan" is yet another example, were such needed, of how small-scale British movie making is today incapable of working the crime genre in the way that films like "Violent Playground" and "Never Let Go" did, half a century and more ago.

Still, at least there's some originality in the write-in campaign that seems to be underway where this comment thread is concerned -- a case for investigation by Detective Harrigan, perhaps? Or IMDb itself . .

I was impressed with Tompkinson in the lead role and think he carried the film almost single- handedly, although I would also give a special mention to the Acting Chief of police character. It was a shame he didn't have more scenes because he and Tompkinson worked well together.I found the script overly clichéd. Also, it felt like it was missing half an hour's worth of introduction -the allusions of histories between the characters was far too esoteric, to the point that I hardly cared and just had to accept that 'something happened'. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, but the production had more of the feel of a play rather than a film. If I were to dwell on the nine-foot man's second appearance (those of you who have seen it will know what I'm referring to) then I'd probably knock off another star.

I don't know who Jessica Lear is, but either she was watching a different film or she has a personal grudge against someone in the crew. A gritty, believable story, well shot, well researched locations, with characters you can really feel for and understand. The authentic 70s feel of the film, right down to the cinematography, is perfect. The dark, brooding undercurrent of the film encapsulates well the desperate and depressing mood the UK, and particularly the north, was suffering in the mid-seventies, without masking the human story behind the main characters. The touches of humour, just took the hard edge off the violence, and strong visual and audible content, to make this a thoroughly enjoyable film, well worth going to see. The storyline and the characters have enough mileage left in them for a sequel or TV series to follow. Good luck to all involved, it is heartening to see a good British film without the mockney mafia involved.

The story about sargant 'arrigan in the northeast england in the poor early 70's are a story about a bit crazed but fair policeman returning from the far east,there batteling the hong kong mobsters, and bringing bakc the same procedures and violence used there,to the mill of street crimes in his hometown.

its a tv-movie quality flick, with loads of slang and swearing,the acting are at best average, but mostly stiff and read out of the script,that arent that fascinating. though the revenge is darn sweet in the end, you really feel the toothless force of the police,and how they hide their heads in the muddy pitch of newcastle, never dearing the lawless.

its a one watch in a lifetime flick,no more than that thinks the grumpy old man

This really is a very worthwhile movie, good story line and quite believable.

I don't understand earlier comments about the budget for this film and how it was spent, I have seen some real shockers for the same budget (Last Passenger for one, now that was a painful movie to watch with not an original concept anywhere).

The characters are quickly developed and have reasonable depth.

The script was nicely put together and not over-done.

Dark and dreary was well portrayed as were the emotions of the situation.

I would recommend this movie, an interesting watch.

When someone says "British Crime Drama" I know what to expect, either Danny Dyer or another Mockney Guy Ritchie knock-off. So, it was a real delight to see that Harrigan is neither. Instead of geezers and shooters, Harrigan is moody, dark and tense crime drama set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 1970's. Stephen Tompkinson is a refreshing change from the usual, in that he delivers a powerful, but essentially understated performance in the main role. The same is true of the supporting cast, who manage to give very solid performances. On top of this, the film is beautifully shot. James McAleer, the DOP, has managed to get just the right balance between the darkness of the story and the warm tones of the period. The movie is based on the real life experiences of a retired copper, and because if this it does offer up some new ideas, whilst not deviating too far from what you'd expect from a maverick cop drama. It's a brave production team that takes on a period drama on a British independent movie budget, but this one manages to pull it off with a certain amount of style.

The film Harrigan is set in the difficult times of the early 1970's, and in the midst of a struggling economy and the industrial decline that hit the North East with devastating effects.

The dark, intense, gritty and violent scenes within the film are representative of the pressures and issues - providing a dramatic yet truthful account of criminal activity and general unrest in the region during this time.

Written by an ex policeman, Harrigan addresses stories based on real crimes and real situations. The credibility of the script is further supported by the work of the actors, especially lead actor Stephen Tompkinson.

The film certainly doesn't disappoint,it has a good pace, is gripping and creates fantastic characters for you to like - or loathe.

The creators have done a fantastic job considering it was done on a low budget (which you would never expect). Fantastic direction, a film I would recommend and regard as a classic.

Based around Detective Sergeant Barry Harrigan and his mission for justice amongst the desperation and fear growing in a crime ridden estate in northern England. This film is grim, dark, intense, gritty and violent, set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 1970's. The cast deliver solid and believable performances, especially Stephen Tomkinson, Bill Fellows and Craig Conway. There is definitely a feel of suspense throughout and the film also has the right amount of relief by humour in places. Many will be leaving the cinema wondering how many of Mr McKenzie's stories within the film are true! I was one of them! Great film. Definitely worth a watch. Especially if you are from Northern England.

This film is one of the best films I have seen this year. The lead actor Stephen Tompkinson plays the role of Harrigan superbly, with some really gritty, dark scenes that convey the deprivation in the north east during the industrial decline of the early 1970's. Overall the storyline captured the withdrawal of the upper police ranks from the crime hot-spots to their comfy desk jobs leaving the old hands to sort the underworld and petty criminals out. The direction and cinema-topography portray Newcastle honestly, the production is in many ways more befitting of a Hollywood blockbuster that a low budget British independent film. The director, Vince Woods, is definitely one to watch for the future and I look forward to hopefully seeing more output from him. Congratulations should also go to the screenplay writer, who's experiences I can imagine have been drawn upon in this film.

Dark and gritty. Absolutely loved it - gripping story and a bit different from your typical gangster film. Really like the setting. Would love to see more like this!

I have seen some of the negative reviews and I can't believe they watched the same film.

It absolutely caught the atmosphere of 1974 with a gritty style and humour.

Stephen Tomlinson was well cast as the police detective. His scenes were totally believable and sometimes poignantly touching It is set on a run down housing estate with a real eye for detail from the times.

Gangs fighting for their turf back by the corrupt local working class establishment.

It's set in the north of England in a very bleak time and Harrigan has arrived back from Hong Kong where he has been on a two year secondment.

Highly recommended.