I was impressed with Tompkinson in the lead role and think he carried the film almost single- handedly, although I would also give a special mention to the Acting Chief of police character. It was a shame he didn't have more scenes because he and Tompkinson worked well together.I found the script overly clichéd. Also, it felt like it was missing half an hour's worth of introduction -the allusions of histories between the characters was far too esoteric, to the point that I hardly cared and just had to accept that 'something happened'. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, but the production had more of the feel of a play rather than a film. If I were to dwell on the nine-foot man's second appearance (those of you who have seen it will know what I'm referring to) then I'd probably knock off another star.

One of the main criteria that I judge movies by is how they motivate or don't motivate me to go check out more about them and this movie definitely motivated me.I grew up through the 70's and I was surprised when the movie stated in the beginning that Britain was going through a period of strife with a 3 day work week and blackouts because they were rationing power. Now mind you, I was in High School and needless to say World News was not at the top of my list of things to keep informed about but I was shocked that I had somehow missed that bit of recent history.In any case, onto the movie. I loved the acting, the grittiness of the characters and the downright humanity of it all. I didn't feel like I was watching a movie as much as I was watching a story being told about real people and real events. Kudos to everyone who had a part in this from the best boy up to the Executive Producer.If you want to watch a good movie made on what would today be considered a shoestring budget, you need to watch "Harrigan"

The film Harrigan is set in the difficult times of the early 1970's, and in the midst of a struggling economy and the industrial decline that hit the North East with devastating effects. The dark, intense, gritty and violent scenes within the film are representative of the pressures and issues - providing a dramatic yet truthful account of criminal activity and general unrest in the region during this time.Written by an ex policeman, Harrigan addresses stories based on real crimes and real situations. The credibility of the script is further supported by the work of the actors, especially lead actor Stephen Tompkinson.The film certainly doesn't disappoint,it has a good pace, is gripping and creates fantastic characters for you to like - or loathe. The creators have done a fantastic job considering it was done on a low budget (which you would never expect). Fantastic direction, a film I would recommend and regard as a classic.

When someone says "British Crime Drama" I know what to expect, either Danny Dyer or another Mockney Guy Ritchie knock-off. So, it was a real delight to see that Harrigan is neither. Instead of geezers and shooters, Harrigan is moody, dark and tense crime drama set in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the 1970's. Stephen Tompkinson is a refreshing change from the usual, in that he delivers a powerful, but essentially understated performance in the main role. The same is true of the supporting cast, who manage to give very solid performances. On top of this, the film is beautifully shot. James McAleer, the DOP, has managed to get just the right balance between the darkness of the story and the warm tones of the period. The movie is based on the real life experiences of a retired copper, and because if this it does offer up some new ideas, whilst not deviating too far from what you'd expect from a maverick cop drama. It's a brave production team that takes on a period drama on a British independent movie budget, but this one manages to pull it off with a certain amount of style.