Customer Reviews
I don't get it - By: S. Fieldhouse, 18 Apr 2008 
I cannot for the life of me understand alll the 5 star reviews. This film comprises a rediculously unbelieveable script populated with unbelieveable, 2-dimensional, cliched characters & executed with heavy, wooden performances. Is this what happens when artistic folk conspire to create "gritty" & "real" drama. The total running time of nearly two & a half hours makes this ham-fisted effort almost unwatchable
Frustratingly Brilliant - By: N. Larkin, 28 Feb 2008 
A film full of great dialog which is both cruel & witty, & performed with some great character acting. This is without doubt David Thewlis at his best, & one of mike leighs little gems. A dark look in to the lifes of some ordinary people by way of Johnny(Thewlis's character)who frustrated with his own life takes it out on who ever he comes across on his journey. an intelligent & moving work of film, a must see!!.
But so hard to get on DVD region 2, its a British film!!! so why?!!.
Is there a better english actor..? - By: redmanshouts, 01 Feb 2008 Absolutely brilliant, a gem of a film. Only watched this film once, around the time it came out & i can remember almost every bit of it. David Thewlis has never been better (and thats saying something), his charector is wildly eccentric, manicallly intelligent & yet he is a dark lost soul aimlessly wondering the streets of London. Ewan Bremner is also great playing a twitchy young lad searching for his girlfriend. But it has to be seen to be believed...
"Were They Cheeky?" - By: citizenkentsmith, 14 Nov 2007 I'm not a big fan of extremely short reviews; they have an air of self importance, but I'm about to write one anyway:
The best British film ever made? This is the best film ever made, period.
Watch it & you'll understand, as they say. Despite the moments of (dark) humour, this is bleak cinema which won't be to everyone's taste, but then it IS a Mike Leigh film, so you should know roughly what to expect.
The unfolding tragedies of the story have a similar cumulative impact to a Sarah Kane play, albeit without her subject matter or extremism.
It's an intense, car-crash-hypnotic state of nation address which also arguably forms & ends a kind of trilogy following High Hopes & Secrets & Lies, set against the background of Thatcherite recession; there's probably enough subtext here for a dissertation...
The best British film ever made - By: Wp Crawford, 19 Sep 2007 A bold claim? I don't think so. The actors in this film were at the early stages of their careers, & you can see the promise. A sharp script, & a brooding, menacing & misogynistic performance from David Thewlis will enthralll you. The performance of a lifetime. Darkly comic, I have seen this film over 40 films, & never tire of it. My favourite line being, when Johnny (Thewlis) is asked if he has ever seen a dead body..."Only me own".
Buy this film. You will not regret it.
