Dir: Richard Bracewell | Cast: Ramy Ben Fredj, Ethaniel Davy, Graham Fellows, Amelie Pyecroft Davies, Laurence Rickard | British Comedy 89’
Buying into the truism that British filmmakers only make highbrow dramas or scuzzy ‘kitchen sink’ stuff, and that anyone over forty is a clueless old relic, this latest effort, a faintly funny low-stakes caper, falls into the latter category but is none the worse for it despite its lacklustre cast and a curious West Country voiceover.
Set between Norfolk and Lincolnshire, in the glorious ‘Fens’ that also seem to get a bad rap as a boring backwater, the story follows Jayce, a young black guy fresh out of prison for a crime he didn’t do, returning home only to wade into another criminal endeavour.
Jayce gets caught up in a scheme to sell cannabis grown in a garden shed by his elderly neighbour Kev – and here’s the star of the piece – real life comedy writer Graham Fellowes (Ken Shuttleworth, Jilted John) – who plays a relative of Jayce’s childhood friend, Paula.
The youngsters form an unlikely alliance with Kev and manage to sell the weed to a disarmingly-friendly dealer. But this attracts the attention of two local petty ‘gangsters’ who notice their trade has gone off in and immediately suspect Kev and his two sidekicks.
This all culminates in Jayce uncovering the real reason why he wound up in prison: and this provides the film with a rather far-fetched redemption for the culpable candidate, local layabout Lee, who has his own cross to bear.
All rather silly but innocent enough, overstaying its welcome even at 89 minutes. @MeredithTaylor
IN UK CINEMAS FROM 27 JUNE 2025