Bouncer

When did Ray Winstone become a well known name ? Okay people of my generation were gripped by his breakthrough role in SCUM from 1979 , we knew this guy was going to be massive . Then he disappeared only to get the occasional guest role in something like MINDER and AUF WIEDERSEHEN PET or a supporting role in a continuous series like ROBIN OF SHERWOOD . Nowadays he stars alongside the likes of Mel Gibson , Russell Crowe and Jack Nicolson and I'm just trying to remember if in 2002 he'd be a household name ? 2002 was the year of release of this short film directed by Michael Baig Clifford and 12 years on any feature length movie starring Winstone and Paddy Considine would have absolutely no problem getting a distribution deal in Britain . It seems the rewards for a short film maker like Clifford is merely to say they directed a movie starring two highly regarded British actors

Michael Baig Clifford seems like a lot of British directors been influenced by the great Martin Scorsese with the fractured storyline intercut between the present and past and freeze frame . His characters are foul mouthed and working class and you get impression the director has told the cast " Okay you laugh like Ray Liotta , and you pretend you're a sort of black Joe Pesci " . The acting style seems a bit too similar to a Scorsese film to be entirely coincidental . It might be uncharitable but it's impossible to notice that Winstone is a rather limited actor . This isn't headline news but Winstone is always riveting in this type of role whether he's up against a few jailhouse slags or if he's trying to take over a boat and is always totally convincing in these hardmen roles . BOUNCERS also has a smart ending that I didn't see coming so it's not only the cast that it has in its favour

A London based doorman for a night-club relates the difficulties of the life and the real men behind the supposed thugs who keep the peace at clubs. In particular the ultimate dread - the ones who come back for more after hours.

Shown as part of the Birmingham Film Festival this short was one of eight to be shown that were produced by Screen West Midlands and were predominately set in the Midlands using Midlands based actors and crew. In the case of Bouncer this is partly true as the lead actor is famously from London, but it is set around the writer's experiences of working a night-club door in Coventry.

As such it brings out well the real feelings behind normal situations in their nightly job. The narration is a mix of hard man posturing and frank honesty. It works well and is involving even when not much appears to be happening. The direction is good and the sense of place is pretty good - only once did it look like a fake rather than a real street - although it may just have been the lighting as I think all the `external' was on location.

Winstone is solid in the role. His onscreen role is really emotionless on the whole, but his narration adds layers to it. The other characters do well and hold their own in similar roles alongside Winstone.

Overall this is a good short and deserves the praise it has garnered so far. Credit should be given for Winstone for making time to lend his presence to a small British short when his wider career is doing so well.

Ray Winstone was the perfect choice for this part and he certainly delivers. The banter between the bouncers is entertaining and Ray's narration works well. It certainly makes you appreciate how dangerous their work can be. The reality is they keep the majority safe from the minority of troublemakers. Nice surprise to see Paddy Considine too.

I recently (November 2014) undertook SIA door supervisor training. (SIA = Security Industry Authority, in the UK).

Part of the job is to deal with customers at nightclubs, who, sometimes, need to be sent on their way.

My class of six in training watched this on our third morning. This short is brisk, telling, very relevant to door work, and also well acted and assembled.

After the showing our SIA instructor asked us the question "OK, what did he do wrong?"

The unanimous answer from our class proved that this is a very effective and instructive piece of storytelling.

I don't know if watching this short is a requirement for SIA training, but if not, it should be. Should also be of interest to anyone who likes authentic portrayals by actors, and crisp film making.