The Business

Frankie is just a typical South London chav (or whatever they were called back then) until he runs an errand to the south of Spain for a local gangster. He delivers a bag to Charlie in the Costa del Crime and gets taken on as his driven. As time goes by Frankie becomes more than just "the kid Frankie" and this continues even when Charlie's violently irrational partner Sam gets back on the scene. However as the cocaine high of the 80's comes, the risks of his criminal live come all the realer to Frankie.

Clearly aiming to be some sort of "Costa del Goodfellas" story, Nick Love's film is a very by-the-numbers sort of affair that relies too much on the superficial things while forgetting things like characters and narrative. The storyline is very basic and it is all pretty obvious what the arch of the story will be, if not the exact detail. Love has put more effort into capturing the feel of the 1980's which, in fairness he does pretty well thanks to his set and costume people as well as a constant pop music soundtrack. This is all well and good and the story itself moves forward with this style as its driver but it doesn't really have much going on below the surface in terms of character.

Of course it doesn't really help that some of the performances are weak. Dyer does his usual cockney geezer thing and does change across the film (albeit in a basic way) but his narration is terrible. It feels like he is just reading the words and certainly isn't delivering them with any sense of who is character is or with any sense of emotion or understanding of the story he is telling. Hassan is a solid presence and actually does well with his character in the later stages of the film. Bell is obvious but OK while Chapman isn't half as sexy as she clearly has been told she is.

Overall then a fairly so-so British film that looks "the business" in regards the period and 80's gimmicks but really doesn't have much else going for. Maybe worth a look though if your expectations are reasonably low.

Thatcher's 1980s heralded a new Britain where anything was possible – opportunities for undreamed-of wealth side by side with the emergence of beggars on the streets, and riots from unemployment and racial tension. 'Our Kid Frankie' (played by Danny Dyer) wants to 'be somebody' and not end up like his dad, so he does a little delivery job to 'Playboy Charlie' in Spain and gets hired as a driver at Charlie's lucrative nightclub.

Nightclub owners have a glamour appeal often shared by politicians, and this was particularly seductive in the 80s. Around Charlie, everything just 'happens' – you are out having a good time and he is the person who makes it all possible – effortlessly and continuously. 'Welcome to the pleasure dome,' croons the iconic pop song of the day.

From here on in, The Business is almost an homage to the decade. A scene on Charlie's boat – who is "so cool his bed makes itself in the morning" - recalls the famous Rio video by Duran Duran. Fashions, cars, dialect and attitudes are all mimicked with loving precision. Alan Durant once criticized music videos (which began in the 80s) for their tendency to glittery escapism, musical portraiture, and fixing the "currencies of sounds". Charlie fixes the currency of the world around him, particularly the currencies of crime, women and drugs, the three things Frankie's father had told him to avoid. But what else is there?

Soon they meet up with Charlie's partner Sammy, who is "so hard even his nightmares are afraid of him." Sammy is the financial brains of the operation and his hobbies include a jealous obsession with his girlfriend Carly, and also killing people. The fact that Charlie largely keeps him under control not only maintains the light-hearted roller-coaster, neon-lit feelgood factor, but sets it apart from films like Sexy Beast where the grandstanding stars give in to their characters' nastiness rather more readily. The undercurrent of criminal activity, just as in real nightclubs, is one of those things you speak about as little as possible, and always second in conversation to the finer things of life, such as the latest cocktail or trendiest clothes. Naturally things tend to go up or down rather than stay still, and even though Charlie manages to buy off the local mayor, things occasionally get a bit nasty. The skewered head scene is particularly liable to spoil the taste of that glass of Bollinger.

Like the world it portrays, The Business can be criticised as superficial and derivative, but it accurately depicts the headstrong, cheesy, glamour of the 80s and both glamorises and exposes the drug dealing high-life. My guess is it will either turn you off in the first ten minutes or carry you along with an adrenalin rush of New Wave dance anthems and snappy one-liners. The slangy witticisms are so consistent, as is every other aspect of this blood, sex and smarm soaked poolside party of a movie, that you may just decide to let go and snort a full line of it as you identify with personalities you'd never dare to in real life.

The 80s had a self-confident brashness guiding how people presented and expressed themselves, embracing or rejecting the new political and social divides. The Marbella look was in vogue – Hugh Heffner, Bunny Girls and pop stars. Now it looks dated and a bit tacky. But have we learnt? If we could view ourselves now from 20 years hence would we cringe at how prevailing trends suck us in? Even the relatively 'normal' gangsters wives in The Business seem hoodwinked to accept the status quo unquestioningly. The pervasive ideologies of our society are often invisible except in retrospect.

Love it or hate it, The Business confronts us with bygone clichés many would prefer to forget, but on its own terms it's a devil-may-care joyride of a movie – slide the Ray Bans back and get hammered on it.

I enjoyed this film. Some lines or scenes did make me cringe but only because those guys were really like that then. A bit like watching David Brent. The actors may have been Z grade but that just made it all the more real for me. It was like watching a slice of 80's small time hood life. If it had been slick with a Brad Pitt or directed by Scorcese it wouldn't have been the same. There is a time and a place for smooth Hollywood polish and its nice to see something that took you back to a time and place when cliché's weren't yet cliché's. The music is exactly what I was listening to back then. They are top 10 hits for a reason. And yes, guilty of track suits as well but walk around any city centre and you still see them, so this couldn't have missed the mark by much. All in all I had a good laugh and yeah, there is far better British made flicks that portray the gangster and drug industry but if you're looking for a small time look at a couple of losers trying to hit it big then this is a little slice of life for you.

Before i saw this film at the pictures i decided to check out what everyone else thinks of it first - i was disappointed with their reactions but went to see the movie anyway. I pleasantly surprised. This film doesn't claim to the blockbuster of the year nor does it contain the sparkle and polish of snatch and lock stock. What it does do however is provide an amusing and gripping view of the rise and fall of an 80s wannabe gangster. To anyone outside of the UK this film may seem abit alien, but there are enough twists, turns and cheeky slang to keep you amused throughout. Just watch it don't take it too seriously and make up your own mind.

(Frankie knocks on Sammys door) Sammy Answers: "did anyone order a c***?"

Classic British gangster film set in Spain. Great dialogue and funny scenes. The third act is a little dark but overall it's an enjoyable film with a great 80's soundtrack.