Down Terrace (2010)

How sad is this?

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Excellent. Well crafted. Brilliant direction. Nice people becoming sinister but you still like them.It is about a father and son released for a crime which is not made clear in the film. They return to their livelihood but are still concerned about the people close to them who incriminated them for the crime. I felt a definite sympathy for the two protagonists, especially the hippy father, changed by time and market forces, but the tale unravels a shock horror which is similar to 'Arsenic and Old Lace' with Cary Grant, without the laughs.This is not a blockbuster, thank heavens, but an artistic exploration of souls. I will buy it as a quintessential damn good film.The tale will live with you forever, as good stories do.

This film was billed as a comedy but I found it so darkly comic that I could almost take it as a straight-up drama. All the performances were excellent with both Robert and Robin Hill putting in stellar turns. A cross between a kitchen sink drama and a fly-on-the-wall documentary, I found the filming style made for a compelling watch. Unfortunately there were a couple of niggles. They are supposed to be drug dealers but we see no drug dealing going on. Also, the police were very conspicuous by their absence; not one policeman seen all the way through. You'd have thought the police would definitely be watching someone with their track record. Other than that I found it an interesting and compelling watch. Just a word for the squeamish though, Ben Wheatley does not hold back on the violence. There are a couple of quite graphic scenes in there that might have you wincing.SteelMonster's verdict: RECOMMENDEDMy score: 7.1/10.You can find an expanded version of this review on my blog: Thoughts of a SteelMonster.

After serving jail time for a mysterious crime, Bill and Karl get out of jail and become preoccupied with figuring out who turned them in to the police. On top of that, the family business is on the rocks, and the crew of criminals who operate out of the house aren't feeling terribly trusting of one another. It might look like an ordinary house, but the walls are closing in...All directors had to start somewhere, and although there are flashes of genius that were to come, it all feels very amateur and a little hard to swallow. I was expecting some funny banter between the cast, and whilst it has it very now and again, its not enough to keep you from losing interest.The cast are good, and there are some funny moments, especially when Karl is looking for some letters, but the way its filmed just feels too claustrophobic, and if this was Wheatleys I tension, he's overdone it a little.Compared to the likes of Kill List, Sightseers, and A Field In England, its not good, but it has the Wheatley magic in there for you to enjoy the flashes of genius, but there are just too many flaws.

This is the reason I watch British films. Its not for the pomp and circumstance and hither thee will and stuff. It's because the dialogue and characters are as rich as a velvet cake. From the opening scene I was engaged and entertained. Half the dialog in this movie doesn't push the story along just flushes out the character's more. The main characters just got out of jail and are desperately trying to figure out who turned them in. And by "desperately" I mean complaining about the quality of the welcome home cake. For being gangster they really never do anything gangsterish. No deals, no dealing with the police, no rival gangsters. Some brief repartee, some tit for tat then the next thing you know, …..They just start killing everybody for every reason, none that have to do with the upcoming court case and snitching.