A dull and lifeless addition to the British gangster cycle. Shifty and his buddy Chris are a couple of dead-eyed deadbeats who deal drugs and spend their days either fighting with friends and family or trying to stay out of trouble. The film that follows is as depressingly grim and predictable as it is uninteresting.One of the recurrent problems with movies like this is that the writer and director is the same person, in this case Eran Creevy. I personally believe that scriptwriting and direction are two very different beasts that require very different skills and talents. Middling efforts in both respects result in middling films. Creevy should choose one role or the other, not attempt both. Invariably these "labour of love" productions smack of self-importance and self-indulgence, as is the case here.It's not all bad, and there are certain things in the film's favour; the camera-work is pretty decent by genre standards, with none of that blighting shaky-cam rubbish, and the pacing is pretty good; SHIFTY keeps you watching, even if it doesn't involve you. But the characterisation is so circumstantial and clichéd that it's impossible to immerse yourself in the world of the characters.Riz Ahmed and Daniel Mays have both contributed some impressive acting in other, better films, but they're lifeless and on autopilot here. I'm not quite sure why Jason Flemyng and Francesca Annis have been cast in supporting roles that could have been played by anyone, unless it's for name value alone. It's not enough. SHIFTY is an instantly forgettable move in a quagmire of similar efforts.

Shifty is a young drug dealer living with his older brother and earning a couple of grand a week. When an old friend comes to stay with him and asks him to come back up to Manchester to a safer, cleaner life, it marks the start of a rough day for Shifty, as his normal drop-offs are complicated by one customer who goes off the rails, and a rumour that has made it back to Shifty's supplier that he is cutting the product and selling for himself on the side.Made for as little as £100k (which would not even buy you a one-second Megan Fox pout) this film is to be admired for how good it looks considering the constraints of the budget. However if praise was given out to independent films made for no money then there would not be enough to go around as there are plenty of similar attempts – just many of them really do show the lack of resource in all areas. It is not the case with Shifty because the film is an effective and well made affair that engages by virtue of how it is put together. The story is reasonably straightforward but it is written with a wider story behind it – one that we perhaps don't get all of but one that impacts onto the characters and their relationships and makes for a stronger character set and a more interesting film. I was interested in both Shifty and Chris as people as well as the grubby little world they inhabit.On top of this the day in question also has some violent risks for Shifty and these add a semi-thriller touch to the story. Again, this isn't totally fleshed out all for the viewer to see but it works as it goes. It isn't perfect as a story but it does well to juggle a couple of different characters to add to the flow of the narrative while also avoiding being judgemental about any of them – your conclusion may be "drugs are bad m'kay" but the film does not seem to have that as an agenda but is just focused on telling the story.The cast deserve credit for working on such a low budget film; OK they are not Hollywood stars used to commanding millions but there are several faces that will be recognisable from big films. The star of the film is Riz Ahmed, who does well for once not playing someone associated with 9/11 films. He is a likable character but he also conveys that edge of toughness and threat that he needs. He does good work with his face and eyes to ensure the viewer can sort of appreciate his thoughts without them being rammed down your throat. Mays has less of a showy role but he does the same – hits the character well and makes him convincing from the start and throughout, only weakening a little bit towards the end when I expected him to convey the impact of events a little better. Flemyng is a solid presence and a good face to help the film, while Simpson's Trevor is a tragic figure and he plays it well, making him a real person rather than a simple plot device to be either pitied or hated.Shifty is not a brilliant film to be sure, it is far to slight for that but it is a particularly good one. It isn't social realism but it has an authenticity to it that helps make it work, with the well written and performed characters providing a strong base for the narrative to be built on. If it had cost ten times as much to make I still would have liked it but that it was made for so little is an impressive thing of note.

While a subject that is quite familiar to low budget UK films, 'Shifty' is better than most.The tiny budget may have made too much flashiness impossible, the film is all the better for it. Since it gives a more realistic touch and lets the characters develop.The film does was it sets out to do well, 24 hours in the life of a drug dealer (who unlike the usual stereotype had choices due to his good education and once supportive family). His limited world is upturned by an old friend returning to town after 4 years, after an event, not revealed until late in the film, though he has plenty of other problems looming.Well shot, good characters, good script and it kept me interested from start to finish with some very good moments within a tight narrative.Plenty of similar films in this genre deliver less than they promise, 'Shifty' on the other hand, to quote a well known advert in the UK 'Does What It Says On The Tin'. And does it very well. Recommended.

A valiant effort that fails due to a poor script.Any production made in 18 days for £100,000 deserves good luck.And it is not without its good points.The cinematography is excellent, the editing crisp, the shots well framed and the feel authentic rather than cheap. As Director, Evan Creevy does a good job. As a writer he is seduced into believing that a gritty, street realisation is going to be enough. It is not.Furthermore the music score appears to have been the coursework for a GCSE music student, it is that rudimentary and uninspired.The running time of just under 90 minutes is perfect for telling a story,yet it feels like a long time.Well acted, Riz Ahmed as lead role Shifty, is convincing enough, but is let down by flat dialogue.His passing resemblance to Rio Ferdinand is further mirrored by the banality of his lines, many of which are about as compelling as a Rio post match interview.Drug culture films are difficult to pull off.This certainly does not glorify drugs, but with no sparkling badinage, and glamour it struggles to find a place beyond a "bad day for a drug dealer".Frustratingly, two scenes dripping with potential are thrown away. When Shifty and his sidekick literally bump into an acquaintance clearly on the run from something, the drama is eschewed for a cheap laugh.Then a junkie pensioner's penchant for dead cats is again tossed away as a visual gag. Think what Tarrantino would have made of that.Creevy's previous expertise has been in music video shoots, and it shows. Great at creating a vibe - poor at telling a story.When he finds the right creative partner we may have something to enthuse about.A talented ensemble company do their best with thin fare.I suspect that the urban multicultural ingredients here found favour to secure the Lottery Grant which helped to fund this picture.But in buying this ticket they bought a dud.