catmorland
I only managed to watch half this film because by that point I had got sick of the inaccuracies. Two examples: 1) British police do not have badges, they have warrant cards (so no-one talks about taking someone's badge*) and 2) no-one 'makes detective'; they join the CID and then go on to further specialised areas of the police force. Also, the police in the UK are not allowed to operate like this. I don't deny that corruption exists but no police officer would be allowed this sort of latitude. I don't know why the director/writer decided to waste the talents of some excellent actors like this when an authentic British take on the storyline would probably have been much more interesting. I can only assume that some idiot in Hollywood holding the cheque book interfered to the extent that this abomination resulted.*I have no idea what that 'badge' was that one of the detectives showed a suspect.
suite92
Set in modern day London, UK. The issues are criminal activities versus police responses. Riley moves stolen diamonds. Joseph Corso is a crime boss, the 'Merchant' of London; Cutter is his henchman. Mark Corso (Joseph's son) seems to be running drugs, and doing them as well. Parker, Dixon, and Sands are on the New Scotland Yard/Metropolitan Police side of the issues.By squeezing Mark on cocaine possession, Parker and friends leverage his father Joseph into trapping Riley, who has been skirting Joseph's rules of order. The plans move forward, glacially. Joseph wants his son safe, well-treated, and preferably free; Parker wants Riley in jail and off the streets. At least that is the first story.Joseph sets up Riley to do 'one more job' that is a complicated heist that has to be done lightning fast. Parker gets Mark back to Joseph. Joseph tells Mark that he is retiring as the Merchant, but that succession is unlikely since Mark is a known addict. So, the stage is fully set.Given the complicated arrangements, something is bound to break down. Will the cops keep faith with Joseph on the deal? Will Joseph help Riley just enough to get him caught? Will Mark pull a wild card out? Will Riley diagnose the whole setup and get free of it? Where does the difference start between normal police procedure and straight up corruption? -----Scores-----Cinematography: 8/10 A bit too dark for me, but presumably done for effect. Focus and framing and the like were just fine.Sound: 8/10 The tension building from the background music was good, and the actors seemed to be miked OK.Acting: 6/10 Normally I like Byrne, Sewell, and Sands. They were fairly good here as well, although perhaps the material was not enough of a challenge for them. I like Toby Stephens as a comedian in television (Vexed) and film (Severance), but not so much as a dramatic actor. I kept expecting a flippant remark or seven together with a sneering smile. Terence Maynard was rather good, and I liked Leo Gregory's performance.Screenplay: 5/10 How does Riley get shot in the abdomen then can keep going with high-stress muscular maneuvers for a good continuous 20 minutes afterward? This seems unlikely. The heist succeeding seemed unlikely. The wrong amount of valuables being in the vault open for inspection seemed ridiculous. Normal police discovery seemed to be almost absent. The ending (and much of the plot) reminded me of LA Confidential. This worked in the year in which LA Confidential was set, but not so much in 2013. Perhaps worst of all, the 84 minute play time felt like 130.
alazter
Well I've been a fan of IMDb for some time but i have never contributed and even if id preferred to make a nice statement for a first timer i couldn't watch this dud and let it get away with it first of all DO not pay too watch this film everything about it is terrible plot ,actors camera-work even the twists are terrible and as a londoner (london being the place the film takes place in ) believe me you don't feel one breath of the city .. its sad too see good actors like gabriel byrne who was brilliant in usual suspects which is too some extent everything this film isn't i kid you not he seems to decay throughout the plot as if he understand what hes getting into .. everything feels bad and nobody is at his place and you just don't get whats happening and especially why ? the storyline seems too have been written by a ten year old at the best terrible too see people make films this bad .
