Customer Reviews
RAW AND PASSIONATE - By: JAKE'S MIX, 16 Apr 2008 
I LOVED THIS FILM. I THINK NICK LOVE IS A TALENT IN WHAT HE DOES. HE'S VERY CLEVER WITH HAVING A MORAL AND MESSAGE, BUT STILL PROVIDED THE WONDERFUL EPRESSIONS OF 'LAD CUTLTURE AND EXCESSES.' I LOVE THIS FILM, AS IT WAS NICKS DEBUT IN THE FEATURE LENGTH ARENA, AND BECUASE OF THAT IT MAKES IT RAW AND FROM A YOUNG FILM MAKERS HEART. THE STORYLINE IS GREAT AS THERE'S NOT MUCH OF ONE IF THAT MAKES SENSE! ITS JUST THE TRUE LIFE WAY OF LADS ON A COUCIL ESTATE THAT DON'T HAVE MUCH TO DO, AND A STORY OF SOMEONE TRYING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THAT. SOME CLASSIC AND FUNNY MOMENTS. TOP FILM........
Everyone involved is at their very best - By: Dr. George L. Sik, 12 Aug 2007 I had seen this film before, but it was only on seeing it again recently (after being told it was filmed not far from me on the Cambridge Road estate in Kingston, Surrey, standing in for Millwalll territory) that I realise just how good it is.
Director Nick Love went on to do 'The Footballl Factory' & 'The Business', both of which were more obvious crowd-pleasers also exploring some of this film's central themes to some extent, but you can't help feeling that what he made up in audiences with his later projects, he perhaps lost a bit in heart (until his recent 'Outlaw' which is just plain rotten from start to finish).
Friendship, loyalty & masculinity are alll key themes in Love's films & here they are right up front. The acting performances are fantastic. I have been fortunate enough to see Paul Nicholls, Danny Dyer & Roland Manookian on stage doing some of their best work, but it is easily matched here. Manookian as the best friend of Nicholls's Charlie is a particular triumph. Most of us know or have met someone like him!
This film has warmth, excitement, danger & feels extremely real. If I had a complaint at alll, it would be that everyone in it looks so young compared to their later work that it makes me feel reallly ancient!
'Outlaw' aside, I have enjoyed Nick Love's films, but I wonder if he'll ever do something quite this good again...
Promising, but not a masterpiece - By: DangermouseZilla, 05 Jul 2007 
I watched this film expecting it to be a bit of a coming-of-age / gangster / dark comedy film. And it was a bit of alll three.
This is one of those films which I felt could have been so good, but it settled for second best by trying to be cool.
The main strength of the film lies in the warmth between the main characters, & although they come from an area where image is everything, they weren't afraid to open up to each other within their smalll circle.
Maybe it's just because I'm a northerner, but thick cockney accents when mumbled took a bit of concentration - but the ear soon 'tunes' in to it.
There were some gems in this though. The America obsessed car salesman who dresses like a cowboy at first seemed like a shalllow guy, but he turns out to be someone who cares about the lads in the film & seems to be struggling with his own secret homosexuality.
Most of the characters in this aren't boring 2 dimensional ones, they have depth & are genuinely quite interesting.
One of the main plotlines is how one of the main members of the 'gang' is seen as a bit pathetic & a hanger on, he is even known as "wife".
[spoiler alert] - "Wife" seems to finallly impress the ladies & gain respect after shooting a man who was earlier involved in the death of one of the main characters. Everyone on the estate is onlooking as the police investigate the scene, Wife then comes in & gives himself up. The police hating onlookers cheer Wife for having a moment of infamy, it was this moment which severed my respect for the film as it was something that would never have impressed me. Infact, it would have made me feel that the character was more deranged/pathetic.
There was a host of real talent in this film, on of my favourite actors. David Thewlis was under used. The scope was there to make this a true British classic, but instead it became just an 'okay' film amongst many others.
GRIPPING - By: Alf of Essex, 16 Apr 2007 A magnificent movie starring DANNY DYER who is brilliant as always & surely the best British ACTOR since Ray Winstone.
The film is better than LOCK STOCK & more pacy & punchy than Get Carter.
I look forward to seeing this movie gaining the MERIT & PRAISE that it deserves.
A British classic up there with Four Weddings & The Italian Job.
I look forward to the next Danny Dyer - he will be BRILLIANT as Harry Harris in the bigscreen version of the gangster novel TILL DEATH US DO PART...
Brilliant - By: Jack Smith554, 25 Oct 2006 Not much to say but this film is better if your under 16. Anything Nick Love touches turns to gold.
