Thursday 9 June 2011

DVD: Shifty



Following the death of a friend Chris (Danny Mays) got out of the London drug scene. Four years later he is back to visit his former best buddy Shifty (Riz Ahmed) and is swiftly caught up in the chaos that he left behind.

Trevor (Jay Simpson) is out of a job because of his drug use and while his wife struggles at home with the kids he is in hot pursuit of Shifty who he feels owes him something after years of loyal custom. With Trevor on their tail the duo embark on what begins as a typical day in the life of a drug dealer. Chris is disheartened to see what has become of former school friends and even some parents as addiction has taken hold.
Unlike some other films in this genre it isn’t overly violent, the tension builds gradually and as events spiral out of control Shifty must decide whether to continue as a dealer, leave with Chris or embrace his family who give him the opportunity of a regular job.

This British film from 2008 features strong performances from Ahmed and Mays who are perfectly cast as the former friends attempting to rekindle their bond while coping with the hazards that are common in the company they keep.

Excellent support comes from Jason Flemyng (Hanna, X Men: First Class) and Nitin Ganatra (UK tv show Eastenders). This is another fine example of how good British film can be.

Recommended for fans of gritty drama.

Ric’s Rating: 86%

7 comments:

  1. I've always found Danny Mays and Riz Ahmed rather adorable :) And I do love watching Flemyng, he is always bring great performances.

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  2. Top notch acting in this one Dez.

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  3. Like the sound of this. I watched another grit-Brit movie the other day - Harry Brown. Have you seen it, Ricky? Very, very good.

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  4. why did I write HE IS ALWAYS BRING? I must have PMS or something :)))

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  5. I did see it Michael but I didn't think it was half as good as this. Review here http://ricsreviews.blogspot.com/search/label/michael%20caine

    Dez, I hope you recover soon. Ha Ha !

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  6. It sounds really interesting. I'll try to check this one out! Thanks...

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  7. No probs Pat, it was better than I expected.

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