Essex Boys (2000) from C2000 and Tuna and Scoopy |
| Guest review from C2000: "If you know what happened...you'd better keep your mouth shut." This film is largely based on true events that took place in Essex in 1996(?) as a consequence of which three men were murdered, two are in prison for life and one is living under an assumed identity. |
| Billy
Reynolds (Charlie Creed-Miles) is an Essex cab driver and
part-time runner for John Dyke (Tom Wilkinson), a small
scale drug baron. Jason Locke (Sean Bean) is released
from prison after serving 5 years for armed robbery.
While Locke was inside, he protected Dyke's identity, so he figures that Dyke
"owes him". Billy acts as a driver for Locke, who demonstrates psychopathic tendencies towards his enemies and his wife Lisa (Alex Kingston), and rapidly becomes entangled in a gangland battle for control of the drug and club security scene in Essex. |
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| Locke
requests that Dyke provide him with a consignment of
ecstasy. The batch is contaminated and causes several
fatalities. Dyke is under pressure from Locke and
formulates a plot in collaboration with Lisa to eradicate
Locke. The Range Rover murder of Locke and his two
partners is the highlight of the film. Billy witnesses
the murder but is allowed to live on the strict
understanding that he keeps his mouth shut. This would
have been a logical end to the film but it proceeds to
introduce a sexual relationship between Billy and Lisa
and the attempt by Dyke to eliminate Billy. Initially this appears to be yet another Brit gangster flick. I rate this a cut (or should it be a bullet) above the traditional fare. It is no "Lock, Stock..." but is certainly much better than "Gangster No.1" and "Rancid Aluminium". The plot is largely self evident but this is to be expected from a movie that is partly based on fact. The film tended to meander due to a lack of violence and over-emphasis on the human relationships. The film-makes come unstuck in their attempt to introduce an element of seriousness to the film. The Range Rover murder scene was the definite highlight although the suspense was reduced by the knowledge that it would happen. I enjoyed the ending which differed from what was anticipated. Charlie Creed-Miles does well as a naive young man who gets caught up in events. Sean Bean is good playing a psychopath but is implausible as a would be drug baron.Tom Wilkinson, better known for his roles in "the Full Monty" and frolics with Minnie Driver in "The Governess", is horribly miscast as a drug baron. Alex Kingston does a sound job in her 'split personality' role of battered wife and calculating drug lord. Tuna's comments in yellow: Essex Boys (2000) is
proof that there is no honor among thieves, and that Alex Kingston
looks great with her clothes off. You can swing a dead cat in this
film without hitting one of her more interesting body parts. They got
her naked in each of the three acts, including a lengthy, well lit
full frontal standing in a doorway. I liked the film a lot more than
IMDB readers who have it at an amazingly low 4.5/10. It is the story
of an "Essex Boy" who is released after 5 years in prison,
and returns to find that his old mates have become rich while he was
rotting in a cell. He swears revenge. Alex is his girlfriend. |
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Scoopy's comments in
aqua:
It's a so-so movie, one of about 11 zillion gangster movies that the British seem to make every year, of no special distinction in that genre, except it has some well-known and respected stars in it. The photography is sharp and attractive, but not inventive. I have now formulated a very clear picture of the English countryside based upon British movies. Although the British technically drive on the opposite side of the street, this is purely theoretical, because all roads in England are only as wide as one car. If you see someone coming from the other direction, depending on the remoteness of your location, you might have to back up all the way to London. |
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