The Criminal

Like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, this impressive British debut feature is a comic (rather than comedy) thriller, but Mackintosh has exchanged a mannered performance for one of assured complexity. He plays J, a musician whose life takes a turn after he meets Sarah (Little) in a bar. Soon he's caught in a web of murder and conspiracy spun by a powerful criminal elite. From the imaginative opening (with its excruciatingly funny chat-up banter), this is a sophisticated drama marked by fresh ideas, economic and highly entertaining dialogue, and visual flair. And Bernard Hill should get a gong for his support role as a foul mouthed detective.