Spivs Review

Spivs
Three wheelers and dealers in East London get more than they bargained for when their big pay day turns into a rather big problem.

by William Thomas |
Published on
Release Date:

24 Sep 2004

Running Time:

95 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Spivs

While it would have made for a fairly entertaining TV feature, it’s hard to imagine exactly why Spivs was commissioned for the big screen. It’s not only that Jack Dee turns up, or that the story, revolving around a gang of fast-talking petty crooks, feels as worn-out as Ken Stott’s lone grifter looks.

Just as problematic is the film’s lack of cinematic sense, with director Colin Teague under the misguided impression that spinning a camera 360 degrees around his characters creates emotional depth.

There’s some fun to be had from seeing Dominic Monaghan channel Meriadoc Brandybuck’s dazed naivety into the character of a scuzzed-up pothead called Goat. But ex-Hobbits and a grim twist aside, there’s little to set this apart from all those other mediocre British crime capers.

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