Cardboard Gangsters

I wasn't expecting too much and was pleasantly entertained for the full movie. Very realistic as I grew up in quite a similar environment growing up and found the aggression in the walk and talk of the a holes wandering about quite accurate so the Director achieved what he wanted to there. A lot of reviewers are saying the acting was awful but in fact they acted like nobody prix very well so...job done. Dark story with a bad ending and lessons to be learned ... An all round good effort on a low budget but a higher one wasn't needed. You can see this in reality any day of the week so it didn't feel like you were watching a movie at all , again this is a compliment to Director. Well done.

I was surprised to see so many negative reviews for Cardboard Gangsters, I personally thought it was extremely impressive. Many of these council estate gangster movies are far too excessive and unrealistic, but this movie feels authentic and believable thanks to a really solid cast. John Connors' lead performance was particularly impressive and should be a sign of good things to come for him.

What impressed me most was its ability to capture the horrifying bleakness of life on these estates while never becoming too heavy or overbearing. Being ninety minutes long certainly helps, as does a strong soundtrack and engaging characters.

I appreciate that this type of story has been done many times and that there was nothing particularly original about the plot. But despite that, the combination of strong acting, powerful cinematography and excellent pacing makes this a thoroughly impressive production.

I felt like I was looking through a time machine into the suburb I grew up in. Everyone trying to make a fast buck no matter what side of the law they fall on. No respect for cops. A major struggle. Lots of eccentric characters. Yes the acting is average but I think this adds to the gritty nature of the film. Worth the watch if your not a pompous moron keyboard warrior who thinks they're some kind of movie specialist.

I feel the 6.5 on IMDB is spot on. Its a great amateur film and very true to life. Very tense the whole way through, most of the dialogue was spot on and it really gave a glimpse into the lives and mindset of those living in darndale, one of the roughest suburbs of dublin. Loads of social problems but very close knit family units and a strong sense of community. Those horses actually do run about the place as well.

Well worth a watch.

Watched it many times since released. Love these types of low-budget UK/Irish/Scottish criminal/hooligan films as even though low budget they are far superior to the high-budget films as you don't expect much from them. Defo worth the watch.

The only downside is, that I enjoyed the music in the film yet no soundtrack was ever released and trying to find the complete tracklist, I give up in the end. Would love this to be released.