Listonixio
Fresh and Exciting
Cooktopi
The acting in this movie is really good.
Portia Hilton
Blistering performances.
Paul Evans
I wasn't sure what to expect, a fairly absorbing movie dramatising the life of infamous Glaswegian Paul Ferris. A gangster with a degree of notorioty, the film puts him in a fairly good light, I'm not too sure that was the case in real life events. Well acted for the most part, Martin Compston is always a great performer, he brings the film to life. I have to say I loved Rita Tushingham's turn as Rita, not in it for long, but she was great. The violence was well realised, hard hitting and visually strong, great effects, explosions etc. The period detail was excellent, great cars, clothes etc. It's not a film I'd make a regular watch, but a decent watch nonetheless. 6/10
Rich Wright
Oh, I'm tired of this kind of film. So tired. I've seen it a million times before... And the usual 'Based On A True Story' moniker doesn't get it off the hook either. It's grown men acting like little boys in a big city (In this case Edinburgh) double crossing each other to prove who's top dog, while a corrupt police force looks on. There's drugs, booze, a strip joint with the ugliest broads this side of Essex, and a lead character who wants to leave this pointless rivalry and make 'a fresh start'. How nice. All the usual clichés in one place.Something tells me this script was approved by it's real-life subject Paul Ferris, as it shows him as a real family man, who managed to recover from a rough upbringing to become a big name on the streets. He might have got involved in a few shady dealings... but most of the time he was fitted up by the coppers, and what he did do was to support his wife and son. Besides, everyone else around him was so vile and nasty that his own antics paled in comparison. YAWN. Change the record.Next up: A wart-and-all biopic of Ronnie Biggs, who was a good chap at heart and only committed The Great Train Robbery because he needed medicine for his sick mother. You heard it here first... 5/10
paddingtonpedro
I watched it with my girlfriend the other night and thought it was a great film, you don't get many Scottish gangster films that make it to film, the only other one i can think of off the top of my head is 'A sense of freedom' the story of Jimmy Boyle, my girlfriend also loved it apart from not understanding the accent to well (she is form Sussex you know,There was everything you would expect to find in a gritty Scottish film. I have a lot of Scottish friends down south in London, and i have urged them to give it a go, i'm sure they will enjoy it as much as i do, i it was recommended by me from a friend so i gave it a whirl and thoroughly enjoyed it, would i watch it again... of course i would without question.
martinrobertson300482
A film about infamous Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris, has long been in the pipeline. I remember hearing rumours off Robert Carlyle playing the part many years ago, and that would off been awesome! Now they've finally got round too making this controversial offering, you'd be hard pushed too find anyone better in the role than the largely unknown Martin Compston. Who does a great job here. Problem is a lot off the rest off the stars seem completely miscast in their roles, and a lot off this 80's/90's set story has clearly been filmed in the present day, with not much effort into making it look like otherwise.There's no doubt that there is a great story here, and I did enjoy the movie because off its complicated, based-on-true-events style plot. But for a film in development for so long, you'd think there would be more success in other parts off its production.John Hannah is only in the movie so people who are only interested in well known actors may watch it. Same with Patrick Bergin, Who doesn't pull off a Scottish accent. Its hard too know how much off the story is true as well, what with it being told from the perspective off Ferris (and being based on his book) with the parts that try too make him look as innocent as possible/try to make you sympathise with him falling flat, when you know a lot off the bad things that happened in the real life events that encouraged this movie, have been conveniently cut out.
