The Big I Am

It was OK. I mean, I get it, the plot, and the characters, but what I didn't understand was the chemistry that the film tried to create between Skinner and Vincent Regan's girl. Although she was apart of the human trafficking. I still didn't see the relevance in making her character fall for this guy. And what was deal with Madsen? Good actor and all, but it seems like the story was trying to take you some place, but it never quite actually got there. Skinner's character should have been more aggressive, especially when it to the got the part his sister. There could have been more to that. Over all the movie was watchable to the end.

This movie is about a low rent hustler, who while fleeing the police after a botched job hooks up with a mid-level gangster and finds out what its like to be an enforcer instead of the enforcee. The problem is with all his connections success and powers the gangsters not doing much better, than the hustler. Then you add in the moral dilemma of the gangsters specific trade and the love story, in short it plays more like "Carlitos way" than "Gangster No. #1". The opening scene the hustlers on the phone with an over the top angry gang-banger. They forecast that they're going to jump him just like they forecast when they throw him over the side of the building he'll and on a railing and not fall to his death. C'mon for god sakes the movie just started. We then see a group of suited gangsters with another over the top angry one who's pointing his gun at his fellow goons head. They raid a drug deal. So that's like 5 sets of gangsters and none of them interesting. That's the problem too many characters and not enough characters. No one a different or unique personality or stands out. They're either angry or subdued. The gang-bangers are not the interesting ones in "bullet boy", or "B.U.S.T.E.D." Same with the scenes plenty of scenes all boring and they don't push the story along. There are no scenes like in "8 dead men" where the tormentors brag to their victim about finding and torturing his hidden gay lover. And don't expect it the scenes to tie together like in "Layer Cake", the film just peters out, with a fizzle.

After stealing a getaway car with a local crime boss in the trunk, Mickey (Gregory) is thrust into a world of human trafficking and ruthless killing. When the crime boss Don Barber is let go by Mickey he suddenly realizes that Mickey is a man he wants on his payroll. Mickey is tasked with trying to find out who attacked Don and to extract revenge. Since "Snatch" came out it seems like everyone is trying to make the next one, or be the next Guy Ritchie. Since "Snatch" I think that "Layer Cake" is the only one that can be compared to it. This movie is very violent and bloody, that's where the similarities end. I just really couldn't get in to this one. Some parts were pretty good, but they were few and far between. It didn't hold my attention. I give it a C-.

Would I watch again? - Nope

A truly awful film this. I was lured in by the excellent Vincent Regan (who as usual is great), and Michael Madsen, who is on autopilot and presumably was brought in to make the film more marketable to the US market.

There are some good performances from Phil Davis and Leo Gregory even if they are very typecast actors, but these are offset by dire showings by Paul Kaye and a ludicrous cameo from Stephen Berkoff at the most ridiculous auction of trafficked sex slaves ever. The assorted gangsters are stereotyped and badly acted.

It is probably worth noting that the movie is essentially a vanity project for Robert Fucilla, who is absolutely dire throughout, and probably wouldn't have got made without his personal funding.

I never normally write reviews, but was so disappointed by the film that I felt compelled to do so. It may be worth noting that the movie also has a very strange washed out look to the colours which I also felt detracted from what should be a dark gritty tale.

Badly directed and filmed throughout - do not waste your time.

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

Small time crook Mickey (Leo Greggory) is in deep debt to ruthless drug dealer Robbo (MC Harvey) and is generally down on his luck. Then, by chance, he is found by big time gangster Barber (Vincent Regan) and given the opportunity to enter the big league, where he crosses paths with American gangster Martell (Michael Madsen) and is drawn to Barber's temptress wife Liza (Beatrice Rosen.) But the higher he climbs, the deeper he gets and when he finds himself caught up in a lucrative human trafficking ring, he finds it may all be a bit too much.

There's a whole plethora of British acting talent about at the moment, and The Big I Am showcases a lot of it, with lead star Greggory, and a supporting cast including Harvey, Paul Kaye and Terry Stone, as well as the more well known likes of Madsen, Steven Berkoff and Gerad Butler dead ringer Regan. The premise of the story is a bit implausible and the pace is a bit weary which makes it drag a bit more as it gets closer to the end. Still, director Nic Auerbach handles things with enough flare and substance to get things by, with a slick urban grime soundtrack, an appropriately dark and hard hitting tone in places and a hip and convincing cast to carry things along. ***