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Director Craig Viveiros John Wrathall
Tim Roth Jack O’Connell, Peter Mullan, Talulah Riley,
82min Action Thriller UK
I spotted this nifty comedy thriller in one of the market screenings at Cannes last year and I’m glad to see it’s been picked up and is now on general release from Friday . Essentially a two-hander, this low-budget Britflic, has the magical alchemy of Tim Roth and Jack O’Connell, who play two bungling hitmen managing to brew up something dark and amusing under the clever direction of former cinematographer Craig Viveiros. It also has a cracking original soundtrack by Vicky Wijeratne and a sixties classic number ‘Una Rotonda Sul Mare’ by Fred Bongusto.
O’Connell plays Adam, a 19 year-old whose mum is dating crime boss Peter (Peter Mullan). As punishment for crashing Peter’s car, Adam agrees to drive his associate, Roy (Tim Roth), on a journey that starts in a old Ford Escort and transports him to a world of murder, sex trafficking and Latvian crims. Enter Talulah Riley.
Shot in and around the bleak and beautiful coastline of Northumberland, with vague echoes of Get Carter and The Hit, The Liability wanders into road movie territory but never quite gets into the fast lane because the story revolves around the relationship of the two leads that comes unstuck eventually in a violent and implausible climax, leaving too many lose ends. That said, this is a promising third feature for Vivieros and the well-drawn performances from a stellar cast are sure to keep you entertained and amused for the modest running time. MT
THE LIABILITY WILL BE SHOWING IN CINEMAS FROM 17TH MAY 2013