Mike Jacobs (Nick Nevern) has fallen on hard times. His friend Eddie (Simon Philips) offers him a job as a driver. He reluctantly accepts and wants to be sure he is not running drugs. As it turns out he is part of a credit card ring that steals information, manufactures cards, then uses the ATM machine to extract cash. They are stealing from banks.The story includes Mike's girlfriend (Rita Ramnani), his love for football, and the involvement of law enforcement because guys putting cards into ATMs, taking out cash, and trying not to get caught doesn't even pass for entertainment on U-Tube.The film claims it is based on a true story. This is a crime drama light on action but can still hold your interest. 3 1/2 stars.PARENTAL GUIDE: F-bomb, sex, no nudity.
... View MoreTHE RISE AND FALL OF A WHITE COLLAR HOOLIGAN is an odd attempt to mix two popular straight-to-DVD sub-genres: the London gangster flick and the London football hooligan flick. The resultant film is an entire mess of a production, with little discernible story, more clichés than you can shake a stick at, and an almost entire lack of coherence.The narrative involves a thuggish football hooligan type - a knuckle-dragger with zero charisma and yes, he's the protagonist - who finds himself involved in a new job as a courier, delivering computer technology around the city. His boss is played by Simon Phillips, who still hasn't got any more charisma than he had in JACK FALLS. Everyone's favourite Cockney stereotype Billy Murray appears in support as some kind of crime kingpin.The story is a never-ending mess of random street fights and violence mixed out with some excruciating melodrama involving various love interests. There's a trip to France and a spell in prison, and a twist ending of sorts, but it's all completely horrible, of course, and almost entirely without merit.
... View MoreHaving read the negative reviews on here I decided to have a punt on the film anyway as it was on Netflix and I was just vegging out. After watching the film I had to fire up my Macbook and write a review myself as I feel the negatives on here are a little too harsh on this film.Lets get something straight from the off, Rise & Fall of A White Collar Hooligan (RFWCH) is not in the same league as Snatch, Lock Stock, The Football Factory or Dead Man's Shoes for example, However Millwall are not in the same league as Manchester United, Chelsea or Arsenal but that has never stopped me from watching and supporting them, and I have seen some absolutely fantastic Millwall matches over the years. RFWCH has been criticised on here for its dialogue, which some have referred to as clichéd, but having grown up in Bermondsey and The surrounding areas of South London I can assure you that a lot of men from there and other parts of London speak exactly as depicted in this film, when they are around other men. Would they sit at Sunday Dinner and Ask "F***ing Lovely Roast Mum, Now could you pass me the salt please you F***ing C***" of course they wouldn't. And neither do the characters in this film. The language used is in the context of the conversation they are having and the person they are conversing with.Personally I found the film to be an easy watch, containing characters that you cared enough about to want to know how it turned out for them. The acting was good, the script was clichéd but good enough (much better than the rubbish the writers on Eastenders have been turning out and getting paid for recently) and the plot was your average Gangster fare with a believable scam rife with the problems that crime must ultimately bring.Billy Murray was Billy Murray, Ricci Harnett made a decent transition from head stomping Carlton Leach in rise of the foot soldier to a Detective, and relative newcomer Nick Nevern did a pretty good job in the Main role. Rita Ramnani did a fair job of Playing Nick Nevern's girlfriend and Simon Phillips played Eddie Hill relatively well. The biggest let down of the Cast for me was Roland Manookian. People regularly criticise Danny Dyer for being a one trick pony yet for me Roland Manookian simply plays Zebedee in most of the films he's in (there are one or two exceptions).So to summarise; Its not the greatest film you're ever going to see but if you have an hour and fifteen minutes to kill and you like British Geezer films you wont be disappointed with this film. Believe me I have seen a lot worse than this!Wes Fazzani
... View MoreMy God. Another year, and another sloppy gangster flick comes our way. You are given the impression that this is on a level with Rise Of The Footsoldier because it also stars Billy Murray, Ricci Harnett and Roland Manookian, but you'd be very much mistaken. This is a very insulting film. It's only 75 minutes long, and the plot and level of violence in it are very slight indeed. The plot revolves around a team of pass card skimmers making big money for a Mr Big. When the main protagonist gets arrested in France, it sets in motion a series of events that lead to him wanting to quit the gang. However, it's never that simple. By the end of this film when the credits are going up, you are left asking yourself "Is that it ?". It must have been filmed in one afternoon. It's just not good enough. Lord knows if it went straight to video or appeared in a cinema. I'd feel conned if I paid a tenner to see this rubbish
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