By Gordon Foote.
The gangster film is to British cinema what horror movies were to American cinema in the 80s. That is, a genre which is seen as cheap to produce for, and a good spring board from which young directors can earn a little kudos before making the leap into the mainstream.
The success of filmmakers like Guy Ritchie has driven the genre to prominence, resulting in swathes of London set, mockney filled films, few of which managing to equal the quality of those whose coat-tails they are riding. As such, I tend to give these films a wide berth (there are only so many times I can see a man in a cheap, black suit use the word “Muppet”, like it’s a real insult, and still care) so I was pleasantly surprised, this afternoon, when I found myself twenty minutes into Who Needs Enemies and was rather enjoying myself…. the pork pie and cup of tea probably deserve partial credit….
Anyway, details of my lunch aside, Who Needs Enemies explores a simple theme – at what point do gangster feel a line has been crossed? How far is too far? It’s an interesting premise and one which separates Peter Stylianou’s debut feature from its stable mates. It forces the audience to empathise with a group of characters whose ethical decision making starts towards the darker end of the grey spectrum rather than in the white like most of us. Stylianou, also on writing duty, manages to deliver an engaging script which builds a set of serviceable, if rote, characters, all of whom have the requisite face-paced dialogue one expects from London gangsters.
It’s a curious decision to bring the morality of the situation to the fore, as the script does so at the expense of the perversion at its heart. Many may see this as trivialising the issue at hand but, actually, I found the opposite is true: to see mobsters who regularly take class-A drugs, commit murder, and brutalise their fellow man reacting so strongly elevated the inhuman issue at the film’s core to a higher level very effectively. What is frustrating, however, is that no time is spent attempting to analyse why certain crimes are considered acceptable to these people while others are not. The script makes no attempt to give us a glimpse into the mindset of gangsters and is poorer for it.
As well as owing a clear debt to, the aforementioned, Guy Ritchie Who Needs Enemies also borrows a couple of pages from the Tarantino playbook, dividing its story up into chapters and abandoning linear story-telling in favour of a Pulp Fiction-style approach to chronology. It certainly helps maintain interest and ensures that the well-trodden setting doesn’t reek too much of retread. Instead, the way Stylianou has presented his story breaths a puff or two of new life into the formula and even provides a surprise or two as it does it.
Camera work is above average for a film of this budget and scale, providing some imaginative imagery and memorable shots. The direction too is above what would be expected in such a small production, delivering a slick, tight package with some good performances – particularly Ian Pirie as, strip club owner, Tom who brings some much needed gravitas to proceedings, and Kris Johnson who succeeds in forging a thoroughly detestable individual in the shape of, goon-for-hire, Chris.
All in All, Who Needs Enemies is a good film which is worth your time, but unlikely to set your world ablaze. Its premise is clever, even if not as thoroughly investigated as many may like, and its story is told well, with more creative flare than is found in the majority of British gangster films I have seen of late. Its content makes it a fairly bleak film, so be prepared for that; not one that is going to buoy your day, but there are enough sparkles of black comedy to stop it getting too much.
3/5
GF
