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Who Needs Enemies

  • Film
Who Needs Enemies
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Time Out says

The combination of bantering Essex villains and a paedophilia storyline make this low-budget gangland geezer flick deeply unenticing. But first-time writer-director Pete Stylianou and his sparky cast make it marginally more bearable than expected. Essentially, the film follows the deadly fallout when an grizzled old-school club owner discovers a longtime associate has hired out his establishment to host a child-sex ring. Initial outrage soon morphs into blackmail and mayhem, and this plays out in an elaborate succession of overlapping flashbacks and flashforwards which throw up some arresting reveals. However, the film is too smitten with its loathsome small-time crooks to generate much interest in the plight of the victims or portray any women as anything but hapless bystanders. In the end, it outstays its welcome, even if Kris Johnson shows impeccable comic timing as the motormouth cocksure henchman, and Michael McKell proves effectively slimy as the outwardly respectable businessman with zero scruples. There are hints of talent, but you wish they’d applied them to a different movie.

Written by Trevor Johnston

Release Details

  • Rated:18
  • Release date:Friday 29 November 2013
  • Duration:91 mins

Cast and crew

  • Director:Peter Stylianou
  • Screenwriter:Peter Stylianou
  • Cast:
    • Michael McKell
    • Ian Pirie
    • Emma Barton
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