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Reviews7
tsw004's rating
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.
Run of the mill sports comedy film. You've seen the plot before a thousand times, mega talented but unruly sportsman gets a crack at the big-time and a dull rom-com love interest sub-plot fills the gaps. The film has no build up or background it's just, bang, straight into the story from the first shot which seemed very odd. The main character played by Paul Kay is arrogant and annoying when, as he is the underdog, he really he should be endearing, this distroys the whole point of the film. But my main gripe is that film simply isn't funny, I barely raised a chuckle throughout the entire film. The film is a complete turkey. Even the brilliant Jonny Vegas couldn't save it. Avoid.
I have read many comments on here about how you have to 'think' about this movie and how it's not for anyone who enjoys their plot spoon-fed ala Hollywood blockbusters. But at the same time very few of these 'in the know' people have actually bothered to explain the heck this movie is all about. Which leads me to believe they're sanctimonious English Lit students who are just as confused as the rest of us! But hey that's ok because this movie has depth and meaning, right? Well if there is it's totally lost on me I'm afraid. I did enjoy the way the film poked fun at the hypocrisy of American Christian Conservative culture, particularly Patrick Swayze as the child molesting motivational speaker. Apart from that aspect I found the film rather morose, confusing and unsatisfying. And it's certainly not because I like brain-dead Hollywood blockbusters, on the contrary I usually like thought provoking independent movies but unfortunately this one didn't engage me at all.