Sugarhouse

So, so tempting to paraphrase the legendary two-word review of Spinal Tap's "Shark Sandwich" here, but such an arch dismissal does something of a disservice to what could have been a strong, idiosyncratic movie. Anyway, this half-baked bunch of Sh*thouse is actually one of the strongest post-Lock Stock crime capers yet, which is praise so faint that these very words are vanishing from my screen as I type them. Once you put aside the fact that the film's mere existence is thoroughly depressing (at this rate, that bone-chilling term 'post-Lock Stock' is going to outlive influenza) you are free to admire its considerable directorial panache, some large stretches of very strong writing, and, most graciously, the way that it goes out of its way to discern itself from its infantile genre brethren. It is an odd and very stagey three-hand chamber piece, featuring lead characters whose dynamic fundamentally doesn't make any sense. A sketchy, homeless crackhead (Walters, way, way OTT) lures a dead-eyed businessman (the ever tedious Steven Macintosh) to an abandoned warehouse in central London (which, rather helpfully, has running water and electricity) in order to sell him a stolen handgun. A deranged, skin-headed drug dealer (Serkis, in a performance clearly discernible from outer space) enters the mix shortly afterwards, after discovering that the weapon in question is the very same one that had been pinched from his bathroom the night before. After a gripping opening, this very early instant is precisely where logic runs and hurls itself out of the nearest window. This is one of those movies that simply wouldn't exist without its main character's constantly inane and illogical behaviour. The calamitous trio's entire encounter is one gigantic assemblage of excellent reasons for each of them to leave the warehouse and never return, but none of them choose to. The tables are turned frequently but to no dramatic avail; in one scene, Walters plans to shoot Macintosh and run away with his money, and in the next he's cowering, gun in hand, in a toilet cubicle whilst Macintoff struts around on the other side of it cursing noisily. And as for the resilient, smirking bond that suddenly (and I do mean suddenly) forms between them in the finale? I've seen richer and more plausible moments of emotional heft in the Naked Gun flicks. Although large chunks of the dialogue are authentic and peppy, playwright Dominic Leyton often tries to invoke profundity and gravitas via some very silly shortcuts. The most extraordinary example of this involves Walters having a very brief, tearful rant about the intricacies of the British class system, which manages to single-handedly convince our businessmen friend not to buy the gun from him at all. Why? Because guns is bad, blud. Its a scene so misjudged and absurd that you can't help feeling terribly sorry for the actors, who all rather admirably treat the material like Chekov. These characters are all utterly shameless archetypes (Serkis is a volatile psychopath that dotes on his family; Macintosh the privileged white wimp, in over his head; and Walters' brash demeanor masks, quelle surprise, a heart of purest gold) but the whole notion of having actual characters in a film of this type, routine or not, is something of a novelty. So yes, this is basically yet another shallow, stupid mockney slap 'em up. But despite the relentless implausibility of it all, if it had just relinquished the pretentious and simplistic posturing, it'd be easily recommendable to fans of this sort of thing as a lazy Sunday afternoon rental. It is, at least, stylish and occasionally interesting.

Sugarhouse is something that has been done in the past quite a lot in British cinema with the likes of Bullet Boy and Kidulthood, a film centred around the raw realities of life and of course crime. There isn't really anything new with Sugarhouse, but what it does do is revitalise classics like those above and give you a more up to date adaption. This adaption in question includes the talents of Steven Mackintosh and Andy Serkis, both well known British actors along with new British talent Ashley D. Sugarhouse is dark, compromising and of course brings up questions about morality and human nature. Violent at times but of course this is what makes this specific genre so appealing and riveting! I'd recommend this film to fans of either Rollin' With The Nines or Kidulthood.

Filmed on a relative microbudget, I was surprised this film was chosen by Slingshot as their first project, as the script really doesn't hold water and some clumsy dialogue really grates on the nerves. As far as British films go I suppose it could have been a lot worse, and while I really didn't enjoy it the performances pull it through, right before it gets plain silly. In terms of the negative feedback that it's racked up here, most I agree with, however complaining that this film is awful because it's "like watching a play" is one of the most idiotic comments I've ever read, you're really telling us more about yourself then the film! It was based on a play which is usually no bad thing (have a look at The Big Kahuna for a good example of a one-set movie)

Sugarhouse is a gritty UK crime thriller set in a very deprived area of London. The plot is based on a middle class man who quickly becomes out of his depth when he tries to buy a gun off a local crack cocaine addict. The actors were extremely well cast with all the characters putting in very believable performances from start to finish. D who is the crack addict owes the local drug dealer a significant amount of money so decides to try and earn the money, by selling the dealers own gun which he has stolen, to a business type white guy who he constantly refers to as "rich man". The dealer is a heavily tattooed well built man with a history of violence and a Northern Irish accent, which adds another level of menace to his already intimidating presence. Naturally he is non too impressed when he finds his weapon missing and sets out to retrieve it. The tense drama unfolds in a very believable and realistic manner and any worries I had of a weak or overly soppy ending were happily unfounded. A very enjoyable watch from the very first minute with a level of grit and reality the Hollywood studios with the big name stars so often struggle to achieve.

Sugarhouse is an uncomfortable watch, with painful, often ugly violence and dialogue that is more often than not shouted. It turns to become, mainly a two-man show with white middle-class, jacket-wearing Steven Mackintosh who ventures into ghetto-land somewhere in decaying urban London to buy back a gun used in a murder and black, crack-addict Ashley Walters. Being far nearer in real life to Mackintosh than Walters (by a far margin!) it wouldn't be right for me, myself to say how realistic the dialogue is, or the scenarios. So, I'm not going to try and pretend to say things like it's 'hip' or 'savvy', but looks and sounds really not very nice. Walters, plus his chums generally give Mackintosh a hard time, over how a privileged a life he has and much angst and verbal ricocheting carries on. When director Gary Love's camera swings back and forth to them, it's an odd duet experience, so chalk and cheese. Andy Serkis has been accused of overacting in Sugarhouse and we certainly get our money's worth from his psychopathic drug-dealer character. We see him at the start, *, stretching his muscles and revealing his many tattoos. More revealing than is necessary, some critics have said, but it gives us a very clear indication that here we have a shaven-head bully more akin the Hannibal Lecter than Peter Pan. As such, as Hoodwink, he is the colour and propulsion in this film. It would be quite dreary without him and who's to say what is over-the-top? It's of a type of person that thankfully I don't know and hopefully never will. His Irish accent seems pretty good too. The film certainly came under my radar and watching it on BBC2 now, I was surprised that it was made 5 years ago and I'd never heard of it or referred to.

I watched this movie after reading some of the positive IMDb reviews and cannot help but wonder whether or not I saw the same movie. Maybe there is a parallel universe in which this movie has a different plot and doesn't suck. I have no problem with the fact that this movie is almost entirely set in one location. I thought most of the actors did their part in trying to make this movie work with some great performances, most notably those of Steven Mackintosh (Tom), Ashley Walters (D) and Andy Serkis (Hoodwink). But despite their valiant efforts and the fact that the movie is beautifully shot, the appallingly unrealistic plot dragged this whole movie down into the gutter. I felt compelled to write this review to save you wasting an hour and a half of your life watching this movie like I did. I feel robbed and want my time back.

This movie had one of the most brilliant performances I have ever seen by Ashley Walters. Walters gives an amazing portrayal of the conniving and mendacious living that many crack addicts live. Crack is one the most popular and dangerous drugs in society. I think it it is good for people to know the menace that drugs can be to our ill-equipped minds. We were all born with a perfectly insane mind to begin with. Just add crack and BOOM your Walter's character in no time. SPOILER Chippin away in an old broke section of the projects waiting for some dumb punters to show up so that he can lie, cheat, and steal from them. Anything it takes. Even stealing Lahood's gun. Now that is crazy.. My mate, SPOILER "LaHood" (Serkis the Berzerkis), went so Richter in his character. He's an animal I tell ya. His little Buddhist prayer can't help him are you kidding. He's off the handle. Well done mate. I am looking forward to many returns from our fine actor who played Gollum's movement and voice. SPOILER Makintosh was pretty damn good as a * as usual. He beats the hell out this stinky * bathroom with a pipe ripped from the wall and scares Mr Crack pretty good. that was pretty nice, yeah. One of my favorite scenes was where Serkis (Gollum from LOR) is snorting some yea and the Techno was playing, he was rocking out with his * out.. Great * scene there Mate. Then after all of the tension and lots of scenes, two worlds come together and they find out that they are not that different from each other. They both have the ability to love. But somebody has to die. I'll watch it again.

There are no scenes in this movie- just mainly ONE SET of a warehouse area. That right away tells you this movie has no budget, and a variety of other moments show you this is a shoe-string budget affair and the storytelling suffers as a result. This is the story of a man who meets up with a Jamaican crackhead to try and buy something. Unfortunately several other people want to have that something as well and then the conflict begins. The man's unbelievable continual participation in these follies is supposed to be a sign that he is a man on the edge but it is more of a sign that this plot is unrealistic and idiotic to boot. Anyone else would just turn heel and go home- take their business elsewhere. At various moments during the movie you will be wondering why the man doesn't just go home and cut his losses- this is the failure of the plot. If it was any good we wouldn't be continually groaning - oh god.. just GO HOME! The movie seems like it has some sort of retarded message about how revenge just injures yourself and they are willing to bend the plot in unrealistic directions to try and get that point across. Extremely unsatisfying and not on par with Snatch, Lock stock and two Smoking barrels or trainspotting- don't let anyone fool you into thinking this play on film is worth seeing- it's a piece of boring one-set crap.

Accountant tries to locate a gun in one of the less picturesque parts of London. He meets up with a drug addict who offers to help him out. Unfortunately for all concerned the gun he wants to sell is actually the property of a well tattooed and very crazed drug dealer. From that point things rapidly spiral out of control for all concerned and nothing goes right. Unremarkable drama feels at times as if it would be better suited for the stage where the rawness would over whelm the staginess of it all. Helping things along is the rapid discovery that nothing is as it seems and a good performance by Andy Serkis. (I really like Serkis but I'm rapidly coming to the opinion that he is either a one note actor, or he has to do something to get himself better roles since almost every one he's taken is a psycho.)

I think this film deserves all the credit it seems to be getting.Well-written, superbly directed and very well acted by all.I was particularly impressed by the three leading actors, Steven Macintosh, Ashley Walters and Andy Serkis who was absolutely terrifying as the psychotic, machete-wielding,ultra violent thug. Set in what is called in the UK a "sink estate" i.e a social housing estate where crime and violence abound, the film accurately depicts the ethos which prevails there.For many people illegal drugs are a way of life, either buying, selling or stealing them and violence within and outside the family is the accepted norm.Police officers are not allowed on these estates on foot and often any response by the police will consist of not less that two patrol cars.I remember that as a naive young lawyer I had to go to one such estate to interview a man who had been involved in a motor accident.When I left his house, my car was surrounded by a group of about twenty youths all carrying bottles, knives and wooden clubs.They thought I might be a "copper" - a policeman.Not a happy memory. So, well done to all involved in making this realistic, gripping and ultimately very sad film.Definitely not for the faint hearted.Don't take your mum.