A Town Called Malice (TV Series) Living on a Prayer (2023) User Reviews

Relax

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 7/10 · 27 April 2023]

Well, we finally made it to the end of the series with things sort of wrapping up but leaving things open for a second series.

For me, there is no need for it to continue with a rather toothless series for my liking despite my love of anything 80s.

The characters aren't really likeable but if is possible to appreciate their flaws.

Gangland productions are nothing new and the storyline is about as outdated as a Relax t shirt. The story is thin, few jokes andthe scenery barren.

Spain has put money into the making of this but it wouldn't entice me to visit.

The show could have ended on something more upbeat than the aha song. Maybe they should have left KC and the sunshine band for the scene leaving the sunshine motel.

Season One Review

[southdavid · 6/10 · 25 March 2023]

I'm going to review this as season one though there's nothing to indicate that this is an ongoing story. At the time of writing, Sky are still pushing the show relatively hard, but there's no indication that this has transformed into actual viewing figures yet. For what it's worth, I think I would watch more if it was made, but there's definitely an argument to say that we've reached the natural end of the story.

Following an accidental, but serious assault on a police officer, Gene Lord (Jack Rowan) and his relatively new girlfriend, Cindy Carter (Tahirah Sharif) go on the run to The Costa Del Sol, to stay with his uncle Tony (Dougray Scott). The Lords were once a feared South London firm but have fallen into irrelevancy as the years have gone on. Uncle Tony has implied that he is a big deal, but in truth his money is sunk into a coastal land, which could be lucrative, if a single hold out would agree to sell him their parcel.

Nick Love has made a career out of London Gangster/Hooligan films and, despite the advertising campaign making this look a little more comedic that the rest, "A Town Called Malice" is another one in the series. It's quite similar, premise-wise at least, to "The Business", his 2005 Danny Dyer starring movie, as we are back on the Spanish Islands, exploiting the lack of extradition treaties and drug dealing with Moroccans. It is, to be fair, tonally a little lighter than some of his other work. The 80's setting is utilised to the full, particularly the music and the cast occasionally sing along with a hit, in a fantasy sequence, designed to demonstrate their emotional state. To call it a musical is way too far, but these elements are persistent. The language used is pretty strong, though I suspect that it will help to be British in the regard and more used to it.

Performances are pretty good, particularly from Jack Rowan and Tahirah Sharif. There are broader performances from Scott, from Jason Flemyng as patriarch Albert Lord and, most interestingly, from Martha Plimpton as matriarch Mint Ma. Wikipedia suggests that she's currently living in London, which explains the casting a little bit, she's good in this, even if she does occasionally struggle with the accent.

We breezed through the series pretty quickly and always found it to be entertaining enough. It's not particularly original and I doubt it will live long in the memory, but it was solid enough.