Bigga Than Ben

I first heard about "Bigga than Ben: A Russian's Guide to Ripping off London" in the The St. Petersburg Times while living in Russia two years ago. The movie is based on a book of the same title (now out of print and impossible to find) by Sergei Sakin and Pavel Tetesky. The book was somewhat of a cult hit, and was criticized in England for encouraging people to defraud the system and telling them exactly how to do it. Sakin and Tetesky fell apart after the book was published and seem to disagree over who even wrote some of it, but it was definitely co-authored.

Leaving Russia, Cobaka and Spikker are amazed by the material wealth of England, but also daunted by the task of establishing themselves in London. We follow them through their various misadventures, some of which are hilarious. The story never builds to a big climax, but I think that would have been unrealistic. The film stays true to its roots and its gritty low-budget look fits the story well. The only thing I found wanting was information about their scams and how they pulled them off - for instance the book supposedly contains a lot of calling card scams that weren't really in the movie.

This movie is cheap, short, funny, and good. Its a great film for any English-speakers who also speak Russian or are interested in Russia. And above all, Andrei Chadov (if you haven't see ZHIVOY, run, don't walk, to your video store and get it) and Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian), both put in awesome performances. They have a great chemistry and I can't imagine better casting for these roles - they also look a lot like the real-life duo, who are shown in a photo during the end credits. I'm hoping for Bigga than Ben 2!

The only reason I watched it is because Oxxxymiron (Russian rapper) named one of his songs "Bolshe Bena" ("Bigga Than Ben"). Seems like the only reason he called his song that way is because he grew up in London, and the movie is set there as well - that's where the similarities between the movie and the song end.

Nonetheless, the film is able to stand on its own. I watched it more than 10 years ago on my old Nokia with a 320x240 resolution, so I don't remember much, but I still recall the overall vibe. The atmoshphere of loneliness and uncertainty was seeping through the little screen. I remember that I could feel by my skin the struggles of an emmigrant's life. So, if even a decade later I still remember how the movie made me feel, it must have done something right, what do you think?

Bigga Than Ben kicked off well and had me laughing in stitches. Described as, "A true story about two pieces of Moscow Scum," the film follows draft-dodging Spiker and Cobakka hitting London as a haven for fraudsters where they will get rich and enjoy capitalist heaven.

The Brits can be annoyingly pernickety about ID and other bureaucratic niceties, so these two baseball-hatted Russian punks engage various dodgy characters to fast-track them into beating the system. Cheque book scams require a bank account. Bank accounts require proof of income and utility bills. Utility bills require an address that isn't a shed, and so on. The crooked son of a millionaire shows them the ropes on basic shoplifting and petty theft from old ladies. He also uses some letraset so they have basic documents – for which he charges only fifty per cent of all income.

There's lots of hilarious (but not overly offensive) racial stereotyping as Spiker and Cobakka practice their new skills with more gusto than dexterity. Taken for terrorists or muggers as they try to 'help people with shopping bags' and ending up with only a packet of envelopes when they rob a local store. They take offence over the wrong things and show strong Russian spirit in the face of perceived aggression (unless the other guy is bigger).

The gags fall fast and free, with inventive cinematic touches as they explain things to camera or press a 'subtitles' button for an Irishman's incomprehensible English. Spiker and Cobakka's have confiscated shoplifting goods returned to them by a middle-eastern grocer who feels sorry for them, and their own accents recall 'Kazakhstan'. It's all very Borat and, although the original story must have had room for being a major hit, Sacha Baron Cohen it isn't.

What is worse, it seems to start running out of material halfway through. A 'step-by-step instruction on how to cook heroin' is not as funny as it should be. The film starts to take itself a bit too seriously as we are invited to feel sorry for these . . . ermm . . . pieces of Moscow Scum.

It's a commendable effort, and a tantalisingly seductive look at London's underbelly from the hygienic comfort of legitimacy. But Bigga Than Ben never quite scales the indie heights we would so like to see it conquer.

"Perestroika" and "democratisation" of the ex-USSR had opened up possibilities for assessing cheap various sources of Russia.

Twenty five year old Moscow lads, a far cry from average Mr. Ivan of this age, decided to become more financially sustainable by making fast money in the West.

For them, the UK is the most realistically reachable destination.

Already settled in London advised newbees on ways British taxpayer might be pinched out.

However, everything has got own price and own educative effect.

Through pity theft criminal endeavours of penniless foreigners filmmakers show UK reality unknown to native locals.

A movie is of interest to both foreigners and, the most, for the British subjects as it disclosed a miserable state of static affairs in a place traditionally self-confident in own global importance.

Perfect mixture of speed, fun, drama, crime, heart - it reminded me a lot of Trainspotting ( and a bit Lock Stock and two smoking barrels) but in an own, unique way. I had great fun watching it. Very original and yet very appealing/well-done. This was the movie I saw Ben Barnes for the first time and I was happy he had success and got bigger roles later (even if he was not soo convincing as Prince Kaspian/unfortunately his biggest role/the role most people know him from), he truly has potential!! The film may not be completely politically correct and may dwell on (or play with) some clichés, but it does it in such a funny, witty way that you do not mind. If you are open to something that is not the usual (boring) mainstream, give this a chance.