Pimp

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Soho pimp Woody (Robert Cavanagh) tries to run as tight a ship on his business as he can, but rival competitors are always on edge to spoil his game. Still, he gets by as well as he can, but when he starts receiving snuff tapes that appear to show his girls being brutally murdered, things get heavy.

Another film where Danny Dyer is mis-sold on the front cover, this time as the main star when more time is given to Cavanagh. Like a lot of modern films, Pimp is aiming to be clever, with it's use of the camera and style of story-telling, but the result is unsuccessful. The frequent new character introductions are disconcerting, especially as many are never heard from again, and the camera style wavers around in an uncomfortable manner. The mock documentary style gets in the way of a decent, coherent story, which fails to hook you in and get you following it in any way, only being able to vaguely make anything out. In more competent hands, this could have been pulled off wonderfully. As it is, it's quite a jumbled mess. **

Written and directed by Robert Cavanagh, who also plays the lead role of Woody, an underworld pimp who moves amongst the shadows, dealers and whore that work the streets of London's Soho.

Being a big fan of British films, and the London gangster genre I had high hopes and expectations of this film. I was very disappointed.

A mix if faux documentary and crime/drama/love story, Pimp seems not to know it's own identity and Cavanagh as a director is completely lost. Throughout the entire film there is a barrage of clichés and heavy handed influence from far superior films.

It takes too long to get into it's stride and when it finally does the premise is just nonsensical. Danny Dyer, who has impressed in previous vehicles was poorly cast and somewhat contrived rather than convincing. Really, I'm struggling to write a review about this film because I was so disappointed.

In short, Avoid.

This must be the most terrible film I have ever seen. Danny Dyer should just be ashamed to be associated with this drivel. Robert Cavanagh just deserves better. A poorly scripted, badly acted, terribly directed movie that doesn't even deserve DVD status. No wonder it only made £205 at the cinema. I was bought the DVD as a joke present, and I am not Danny Dyer's biggest fan. He is over rated and plays the same characterisation in anything he does. But this just proves my point.

OK. I was prepared to but fairly unimpressed. The only other 2 reviews included one neutral one and one from the production company.

But all in all, I WAS impressed. The story line throws you a few unexpected left of field surprises, the bad brothers are suitably bonkers, the violence was - well, OK - realistic, I suppose.

But the best thing, for me, was Robert Cavanah. He plays a complex lead, in a tough situation - in a number of ways - and he plays it very very well.

Danny D continues not to live up to what he seems to think his potential is. On the other hand, I guess he's making money.

And the votes for this film? 2.6/10 at the moment? Nearly half the votes are at 1, but none of them have left a review? Someone CLEARLY doesn't like this film, and doesn't want it to be a success on IMDb.

Well not exactly, but this pseudo documentary does try to shine light behind the scenes. I think it is daring to go places a normal movie wouldn't go and the idea as it is, is interesting. But while the commentaries seem forced (and like a bad cliché), what really drowns the movie, is the fact that it tries to put a fictionalized story behind it all.

In other words, it tries to give the whole thing a meaning. Which goes completely against the mood/goal it set out to do. It is profane and will not be for those easily offended. But while there is also (some) explicit footage, this anything but exciting (pun intended). Of course, if you'd be looking for a special kind of excitement, you'd know where to look for it. That's not what I'm referring to. The movie as it is, is a drag. It feels just too long (but then again, that's just me ... try it out, but if you're not hooked after the first minutes, I highly doubt the movie will win you over by the end)