This is probably one of my favorite English import movies in the new millennium. Gritty, dark, poetic, and funny-- with a cast of very talented actors by and large unknown to the American audience (one possible exception may be Jason Isaacs, who played Percy). While there are elements in this movie that do remind me of other Brit classics such as: Snatch, Loch Stock, and perhaps, 24 Hours in London, it does stand on its own as a feature worthy of viewing.
Billy Byrne, played by Max Beesely, is a starving artist who has a lot of hype behind his latest art project, the nature of which I'll omit here. When critics and the public turn on him, Billy falls on hard times. Dumped by his girlfriend, he is left to his own devices when he meets a homeless girl who introduces him to some seedy, urban denizens. Drawn into a life of drug abuse and general mayhem, Billy takes another crack at the big time with his next great idea. But his the pitch men will have none of it. Forced back into the streets, Billy and his young companion struggle to survive their addictions. When the opportunity comes to escape their dismal lives, it is Billy who answers the call and abandons his friend. We end the movie with an implied flight to Greenland which neatly ties in with the opening scene of the movie.
A very smart, existential film with wonderfully-colored characters.
Billy Byrne, played by Max Beesely, is a starving artist who has a lot of hype behind his latest art project, the nature of which I'll omit here. When critics and the public turn on him, Billy falls on hard times. Dumped by his girlfriend, he is left to his own devices when he meets a homeless girl who introduces him to some seedy, urban denizens. Drawn into a life of drug abuse and general mayhem, Billy takes another crack at the big time with his next great idea. But his the pitch men will have none of it. Forced back into the streets, Billy and his young companion struggle to survive their addictions. When the opportunity comes to escape their dismal lives, it is Billy who answers the call and abandons his friend. We end the movie with an implied flight to Greenland which neatly ties in with the opening scene of the movie.
A very smart, existential film with wonderfully-colored characters.