A Gangster’s Life review – funny in parts, but not always deliberately

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Despite some interesting visuals, not even Tony Cook and Jonny Weldon can lift this poorly produced tale of a pair of dodgy lads hiding in Greece from a gangster Here is an odd film about a couple of dodgy lads who get on the wrong side of a bona fide gangster and have to hide out in Greece. It’s not thoughtless per se; rather, it lacks the resources to bring its vision successfully to screen. Its quirks are sometimes appealing and sometimes amateurish and, while a mixture of influences swirl about, from Bond to Kingsman to Guy Ritchie and even Mission: Impossible, the film-makers don’t have the necessary budget, meaning that it feels at times like a TikTok parody of more expensive films. It is a shame, because there are some interesting visual ideas that go beyond route one filming. Example: a goon beating a man tied to a chair on a crispy manicured lawn is filmed in a lovely wide shot, with a guy in the far distance calmly clipping the hedge. But it’s the post-production that is th...
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Black Cab review – Nick Frost on outstanding form in creepy taxi-driving Brit horror

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Though the narrative goes the long way round, there are plenty of strong performances and good ideas to keep this journey interesting

Although this British horror flick gets a little muddy in strictly narrative terms with its tricky shifts in viewpoint, it’s rich enough in ideas and strong performances as well as running a blessedly crisp 88 minutes, that any flaws are easily forgiven. The story starts with Anne (Synnove Karlsen, outstanding in a demanding yet slightly underwritten role) waking from a frightening dream and going to join her boyfriend Patrick (Luke Norris) for dinner with another couple, Ryan (George Bukhari) and Jessica (Tessa Parr). The snappy banter between the foursome, which instantly and economically establishes that Patrick is an outright asshole who doesn’t deserve quiet, circumspect Anne, suddenly chills when it’s revealed the two are engaged. Jessica, for one, doesn’t approve, for reasons only revealed later.

Nevertheless, Anne and Patrick depart in the titular vehicle, driven by excessively chatty Ian (Nick Frost, also on exceptional form, and credited with contributing additional material to the script). En route, even more awkward revelations tumble out. From here on in, the film is essentially a two-and-a-half-hander, the story carried by Anne and Ian’s conversation, mostly conducted amid glances in the rear-view mirror as Ian drives, especially after Patrick loses consciousness.

Black Cab is on digital platforms from 7 April.

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