More often than not, UK urban dramas are far from perfect movies with their search for realism completely backfiring and the finished product can seem over the top. The Guvnors is a story of two South East London gangs, one young and one old who both have their issues and roots to violence and crime.Mitch, played by Doug Allen is an old school criminal, from a generation past, he no longer takes part in football violence or crime and has settled down in the suburbs with his wife and child. He has lost contact with his old friends from back in his younger days and would rather forget his past. Adam is played by Harley Sylvester (one part of music duo Rizzle Kicks), he is of the current generation of thugs, he lacks the respect that his seniors once had and is very much a street thug who's search to be feared and gain power holds no limits. As Adam and his gang hear of the infamous Guvnors (Mitch and his gang from years ago) they go on a rampage to become the new Guvnors of South East London, something which will bring Mitch out of his comfortable past and back into the violent streets that he left all those years ago.The plot is pretty standard and there are no major surprises, it's relatively predictable and contains some of the classic clichés you would expect if you're a fan of this genre. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy this movie though, the acting was well above average, especially from Harley Sylvester – seeing him talk behind the scenes after watching the movie was surreal as he couldn't have spoken any different than he did for his role! He plays a detestable character with no redeeming qualities and he does it very well. To portray somebody like that you have to be convincing, they have to convince you to hate them and he did a very good job at this. Doug Allen did an OK job also, his character wasn't as strong or extreme but there were a few scenes in which he excelled and that was good to see.I have read some negative things surrounding the ending of the movie, as this is a spoiler free review I won't comment on it too much but I will still give my opinion. Personally, I found it to be acceptable, maybe it didn't contain the amount of drama people were hoping for or maybe the outcome wasn't what people wanted but I didn't have any issue with it. The very final scene however was a little disappointing and not necessary at all as it did feel a little awkward.In a story of Last Generations Old vs The Modern Youth, there needed to be a balancing act to keep the realism. The film is based mainly around the youth gang with snippets of the old gang being filtered into the story. It would have been nice to have seen some more shots of the elder gang together but that's just my personal opinion.Overall, The Guvnors is a solid, low budget, UK Urban movie which is well worth a watch if you are a fan of this genre. Solid acting and decent pacing make it an above average movie for me and I would certainly recommend checking this out if you have a free couple of hours. 7/10

The Guvnors is yet another British film based on street gangs. It is a tale of two different generations, the older guys who have all moved on from their past and the younger guys. Trouble starts when the old boy who is associated with 'The Guvnors', is murdered. The film is set in London and the atmosphere on the streets is very grim. The film develops at a steady pace and we see different sides to both of the main characters which adds a bit of realism, rather than just watching 90 minutes of mindless violence without fully knowing the characters and their motives. There is an unexpected twist towards the end of the film. I felt it was a good twist so when the film approached the finale there was plenty of possibilities. I felt it was a great acting debut by Harley from Rizzle Kicks and I certainly hope to see him in a few more films soon. The film also boasted a very good soundtrack throughout. 8/10 - would recommend but only if you like the genre.

Review: This is one of those typical East End movies about a young criminal minded gang leader who wants to make a name for himself by taking out the old mobsters who used to run his turf. I must admit, the film is quite predictable and it's nothing that we haven't seen before. Doug Allen, who plays one of the main characters as the old football Hooligan whose gone straight, gets dragged back into the Hooligan life after there old leader, played by David Essex, gets murdered. There's a couple of twists along the way but it takes some time to get going and there's a lot of unnecessary violence which goes a bit too far. Harley Sylvester, who plays the lead as the violent youth, played his part quite well and his sidekick was quite a scary looking fellow but the script wasn't that original and I did loose interest after a while. The difference between the generations and how they deal with there problems, is real in today's day to day life so I found the film more frustrating than entertaining. Average!Round-Up: If you watch Eastenders, you might remember Doug Allen from the earlier episodes as Nathan between 2001-2002. I haven't really seen him in anything else since then, but he played his part quite well, especially as this is his first leading role. The whole setting for the movie might look familiar because it's were Clockwork Orange was filmed. You also might have seen the guy who played the lead as the violent youth before, as one of the rappers in the Rizzle Kids, so he's not a stranger to performing. In this film I personally think that it's the typical UK gangstar storyline which needed some work but there are a couple of twists that make it slightly interesting.I recommend this movie to people who are into their UK drama/violent movies about a   football hooligan whose gone straight but gets dragged back into his old lifestyle after the leader of his old squad gets murdered. 3/10

Great film. Thoroughly enjoyed this gritty portrayal of old vs new gangster life in London. The film was beautifully shot and took unexpected turns in the plot that gave the Guvnors a unique and stand out quality from other similar attempts in this genre. The acting of the main leads Slyvester and Allen were excellent and ensured that you were engaged throughout. It would seem that Director Gabe Turner has done a superb job in handling the various themes that are featured within the film and does not dictate to the viewer what they should or shouldn't think but rather poises questions that leave you wondering and wanting to explore further. It is rare to find a film that ticks the boxes of great film making, great entertainment and gives you something to think about long after.