There are moments in The Brighton Mob which would not be out of place in Guy Ritchie’s cult hit Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels.
It’s tale of rogue bank robbers, questionable policing and violence shot on the streets of Brighton and Hove.
Max Day and Ray D James steal the show with strong portrayals of the underworld life of police officers getting their hands dirty, ably supported by most of the cast.
It’s tense, it’s unpredictable, it’s gnarly and it’s to the point.
Too many thrillers drag on for more than two hours and after 18 plot spins, you end up leaving the cinema forgetting what had happened in the first half hour.
This is 80 minutes long, and drags you in for the whole time.
Some of the acting, namely Liburd Reuben and two senior police officers, is pretty weak, but thankfully it doesn’t detract from the screenplay.
Originally called Once Upon A Crime, the film is set in London - it was changed to The Brighton Mob before being released on Monday.
It’s a shame, because had it been The Brighton Mob from the off it could’ve incorporated the city’s landmarks and become a south coast classic.
Nevertheless, it’s a really good, grimy watch.
Four stars
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