Best plans

One can pay all the usual compliments to British Film Making e.g underplayed, gritty,thoughtful, etc. but I think this movie is exceptional. The story line is well crafted and the acting from all participants, is superb. The "Mentally Disabled" roles played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Maxine Peake are sensitively portrayed and Stephen Graham is,as always,brilliant! The fight scenes are particularly "Squirm Making"and the dreary Nottingham scenics were well chosen and cleverly filmed. I find it hard to believe that it only rates 6 on the IMDb site! Great work from you British Film Makers Keep'em coming!

Not sure what film Dodgy-Milk was watching, but it wasn't the same film as me. Maybe something like "War Horse" would be more to their taste...

This is a gritty character study about hopes & dreams, manipulation, deceipt, selfishness, betrayal but ultimately love, albeit it a little unorthodox. It is "loosely" (and I mean very loosely) based on Stienbeck's "Of Mice and Men" and if you're familiar with the book you'll get it but it's used more as an idea for the film, rather than a screenplay.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, I thought the main performances from Steven Graham, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Maxine Peake were excellent with strong support performances from the other members of the cast particularly David O'Hara who is in menacing form. Throughout the film, it's funny, uncomfortable, tender and shocking in equal measure...

It is a very "British" film and if you're expecting a "Hollywood" blockbuster because you've seen Graham as Al Capone in the brilliant Boardwalk Empire, this might not be the film for you.

It's a good 8/10 from me and I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes "proper" films...

I was very impressed with this film. The actor playing Joseph was nothing short of brilliant and tender. I found myself wishing that no matter how it ended, Joseph would be taken care of.

I must give props to the director for putting it all together in such a soft and yet gripping way. Someone had a vision with this piece and I hope they got what they were after.

I hope the actor playing Joseph gets the respect he deserves and I feel honored to have stumbled upon this gem.

I would highly recommend this movie to anyone old enough to take the emotional pounding.

"Best Laid Plans" is a gripping film loosely based on the Steinbeck novel "Of Mice and Men". Don't worry, the story differs considerably enough that nothing is spoiled if you're up on your Steinbeck. The story is woven around an odd pair: the mentally challenged gentle giant "Joseph" (phenomenally played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, whom you may remember as the very different Mr. Eko in "Lost") and his guardian, the small-time crook "Danny" (Stephen Graham).

The two seem to have a modestly idyllic life, pulling off small capers to make a living and fishing at the local canal. But due to Danny's involvement with the wrong crowd, he gets into a jam where the only way out is for him to submit his buddy Joseph to a very brutal criminal occupation.

The character development and evolution of each man is what makes this interesting to watch. Danny is plagued by guilt for what he is doing to his friend and slowly descending into drug abuse (coke, not meth like in my title--but hey, clever wordplays don't come easy). Kind-hearted Joseph is profoundly altered by the violence he is subjected to. At the same time, each man finds his own love interest, each woman mirroring the harshness and innocence of the 2 men.

"Best Laid Plans" runs the full spectrum of bleakness, brightness, darkness and charm. It begins with a mildly comedic scene but quickly turns heavy when we realize what is at stake. From then on, the film gets heavier and darker, but it remains peppered with some charming & heartwarming scenes involving Joseph. The extreme contrast makes the film unpredictable, suspenseful and sometimes beautifully disturbing. It's the director's ability to mix the two extremes--beauty & brutality--that makes this a poetic experience. If you like character-driven stories set in a tense, gritty environment, then check this one out.

By the way, if you happen to be a pitbull lover (the dog, not the rapper), definitely check this out because it makes a great metaphor for those gentle, lovable mutts who, simply due to their physique and eagerness to please, are subjected to human brutality just like Joseph. I'm sure the metaphor can apply to many things as well. This film will keep you thinking for a long time.

This really is very good but I think they've misjudged the trailer. This isn't really a gangster thriller or a fighting movie - it is actually a reimagining/reworking of Of Mice and Men.

A petty criminal, Danny (Stephen Graham), cares for a giant of a man with learning difficulties, Joseph (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). When Danny gets in trouble with a local crime boss he persuades Joseph to take part in a series of illegal cage fights in order to pay off his debt. OK, so far it sounds like a gangster/fighting flick, I grant you, but what has been left out of the trailer is the sub plot about Joseph falling in love with a young woman, also with learning difficulties, played by Maxine Peake.

I say 'learning difficulties' as I have no idea what the acceptable terminology is these days. Special needs? Luckily the film is down-to-earth and honest and doesn't pussyfoot around like I am. The characters speak as they would in real life, which does result in one very funny line which everyone in the audience laughed at but wouldn't dare repeat outside of the cinema*.

The subplot is handled with skill and care. The actors all turn in fine performances, especially Stephen Graham as the quick-witted but ultimately self-destructive central character and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as the simple giant, Joseph. Their relationship, as you discover more and more about it, it utterly believable and is the central spine of the whole film. It's not a life changer but it is fine piece of work and well worth checking out if you get the chance.