Trespass Against Us (I) (2016) User Reviews (45)

A small movie with great actors

[wxgirl55 · 7/10 · 11 September 2016]

First time feature-film director Adam Smith establishes much in the opening minutes of the movie.

Our first image has the camera on the heels of a bullet-fast hare being chased and running for it's life through an endless meadow. Chasing, it seems, is a way of life for the backwoods thieving Cutler clan who we're about to meet.

The local British constabulary is usually doing the pursuing.

Chad Cutler (Michael Fassbender) squirms under the thumb of Colby, his domineering father, whose never-ending lifestyle of thievery sees no happy end. With a brother already trapped in prison, Chad looks at his young impressionable son and wonders whether he can offer him a different future.

To create a different path he must reassess Colby as a role model, and contemplate the unimaginable… to trespass against his father's wishes and put his own young family's well-being above the clan's. Ensuring an education – something his father denied him – seems to be the only escape route for his children's otherwise ill-fated future.

Colby, played by the indomitable Brendan Gleeson, is an uneducated patriarch whose limited worldview is a creeping cause for concern. His knack for planning successful robberies is now questionable, and he senses growing desperation and worry since it's become apparent his schemes are outdated and flawed. But knowing no other way of life, he hangs on, using whatever resources he can to keep his son, Chad, with him.

Michael Fassbender is an extremely talented actor and makes a powerful presence on the screen. Through him we witness Chad's struggle to be a dutiful son, loving husband and responsible father. With no formal schooling, no ability to read or write, his strongest skill is seen behind the wheel of a car in hot pursuit, he wrestles to make a choice on what kind of future he can offer his young family.

My rating: 76 /100

20 /25 – Overall

11 /15 – Directing

12 /15 – Acting

13 /15 – Cinematography (colour, angle, camera position)

06 /10 – Editing (rhythm, pace)

08 /10 – Script (dialogue, storyline)

06 /10 – Music/score (sound foley, costume, make-up casting)

Another raw Fassbender performance

[KarenYVR · 7/10 · 26 December 2016]

Another astonishing and raw performance from Michael Fassbander, who plays an uneducated father of the family desperately trying to unchain himself from his father's robber-gang. The brutal moment when you realize you are in under influence of something evil or bad, but you're incapable of changing things and you get mad at the whole world. But the fault is on you, because you weren't strong enough to free yourself out of the chains in the first place. You have the choice to change it now, you have obligations towards your family and you have to choose what is best for them now, because you've lost your chance to help yourself.

Not bad. A little mediocre, but strong performances by great actors.

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 23 January 2017]

Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson team up as a father and son criminal team with Gleeson being the brains, while Fassbender doing all the leg work. Gleeson as Colby is so deep in the game that he knows nothing else and refuses anything else, an attitude he expects from his son Chad, played by Fassbender but Chad has enough of a foot outside the game to know that he desperately does not want his young son Tyson to follow down this bloodline, even if Colby sees nothing wrong with the hand Jesus gave him (Colby is a God loving crook).

The film is about Chad being stuck in his outlaw life style. He wants it to be over but he has no options as he can't read or write, which blows my mind that a man in this day and age has no grasp at all of the language he's speaking, but it happens, and he's doing everything he can to make sure his son is educated.

One really cool thing I should mention about the film is the fact that it has some really awesome car chases in it. Not the main purpose of the film but Fassbender does play a getaway driver and his getaway driving was great.

It's a great performance piece coming from all the actors with Fassbender and Gleeson leading the charge. It really has that going for it as it's very small and really sweet and met to hit a nerve with those who know what it's like to be stuck and want better but just seem incapable of doing it.

http://cinemagardens.com

A criminal family

[Gordon-11 · 25 January 2017]

This film tells the story of an outcast criminal family, who lives in a trailer park somewhere in the United Kingdom. The main character's life is plagued with problems, as they have a controlling father, a mentally challenged brother and two children who grow up under a dubious environment.

"Tresspass Against Us" reminds me of "Captain Fantastic" because of their outcast status and unconventional lifestyle and the focus on the effect on the children's lives. "Tresspass Against Us" tells a more diverse story, as the entire family structure contribute equally to the story. Despite the mostly small time criminality and their obvious disrespect for the authorities, I still have developed much sympathy towards the family's hardship and challenges. I am touched by the Kel' determination for the children to be in school, and by the memorable ending. It is sad that the downfall is brought on by a human trait other than serious criminality. I find this film charming and engaging.

The film is decent, Fassbender very impressive

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 4 August 2017]

"Trespass Against Us" is a British 100-minute movie from last year (2016) and most likely the most known work by now for director Adam Smith and writer Alastair Siddons. The two big names here are Fassbender and Gleeson, but huge film fans will maybe recognize other faces like Kinnear. I am quite a Gleeson fun, but while he was good too, not even I can deny that everything and everybody in this film is inferior to Fassbender. With his performance here, he turned a mediocre story into something pretty good in my opinion. Luckily for him the character also offers really a lot, be it his violent, almost sadistic side, the character's struggle between hating and loving his dad or the connection he has with his wife and children, it is all very baity material. I expected some tragedy towards the end and while it is certainly not an entirely happy ending, it almost looks like one, so I was wrong. As for Gleeson, his character is interesting as well, he may seem like somebody easy to hate but we find out during the film that he may be a victim of his own upbringing and lets keep in mind that he apparently raised his kids on his own and managed to keep the family together somehow, even if his measures are undoubtedly something (you don't want) to get used to. As a whole, this is neither a horrible nor a great film, but Fassbender makes it very much worth watching. This is a kind of film that won't get recognized by the big awards bodies I am sure, but that is quite a shame as MF gave one of the finest performances I have seen in a long time. The more I see from him, the more of a fan I become. Go watch this movie here that luckily does not have a great title to get people interested, even if the reference to the quote from Gleeson's character's is a fitting one. I give "Trespass Against Us" a thumbs-up.

What's the focus of the movie?

[rajkovicmarko · 6/10 · 26 October 2017]

Trepass against us, presented at the Toronto Film Festival in 2016, would like to tell so much, without however having the time and the tools to do so. It is unclear what theme the film is about to focus on. The spectator is confronted with the difficulties of nomadic life, father-son relationship, education and redemption, without however finding the time to immerse himself completely in any of them. The film, and often the spectator, feels the weight of two figures, such as Fassbender and Gleeson, who cover the roles of Chad and Colby. It would be understandable if one doubted that the two of were involved in the project to give him a boost (perhaps it needed it) rather than believing that their characters were so articulated that they needed the two actors' talent. Director Adam Smith, at his debut, is capable of talking about chases, sequences of action, and some hint of gangster comedy. It gives the movie adrenaline and the elements to be watchable, but not more than that. Often you are wondering why what you see is so as it is, as you are thinking that some characters have nothing to do with the world they live in. For example Chad. This is due to the rush of the director to arrive at the clue of the story, related to the characterization of the characters, which if is not flat, is mainstream and even trivial. This does not mean that the film is not touching, but it is less reflective than it should, and perhaps it would want to be.

Where the zider apples grow

[dunfincin · 3/10 · 1 March 2017]

I saw the negative reviews before watching this film and decided that with Gleeson and Fassbender in starring roles, it couldn't be all that bad. Well, it is and then some. In England there are three types of travelling people - the original Rom gypsies (very rare now), Irish travellers who in English are often called "Tinkers" and a third group of basically itinerant criminals called "Pikeys".They travel the highways and byways of merrie England camping illegally on public or private land, terrorising the local population, taking over the nearby pubs and generally causing trouble whilst they carry on with their more traditional pursuits of begging and stealing.Eventually they move on or are moved on leaving piles of rotting garbage (you could clearly see this towards the end of the film) for someone else to clear up. That community is what this film is about.

I cannot think of a less edifying subject for a film.Are we supposed to empathise with this group of nomadic miscreants perhaps seeing something noble in their total disregard for law and order and other peoples wellbeing? Are they the modern hunter-gatherers of society turning their backs on a corrupt system and preferring to live a life free from other people's rules like working for a living and paying taxes? I neither know nor care.A totally misconceived and egotistical dog's breakfast of a film giving the audience nothing for their money.Perhaps the director once bought a sprig of heather from a woman in a straw hat and colourful clothing - " It will bring you luck dearie"- and thought it would be a good idea to make a film about these lovely people.

The accent which gave people a lot of trouble is what we call in England "West Country" - basically the counties of Devon and Cornwall. A broad west country accent is difficult to understand even for the English so I don't know how they would expect the rest of the world to cope with it- utter stupidity. Incidentally Gleeson's accent was authentic most of the time save for the occasional trip back to Dublin but Fassbender absolutely nailed it. You might say that this is what you would expect from an actor with his talents but for a man from Heidelberg it was a truly remarkable feat.

When I started this review I intended to give it a 2 but I have decided to give it 3 because the sun is shining today.

Not perfect, but still a promising debut from Adam Smith

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 21 December 2017]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

The Cutlers are a traveller family living on the outskirts of Gloustershire. Colby (Brendan Gleeson) is the patriarch of the clan, the father figure with a contempt for authority, the education system and various other outside institutions that don't fit around the gypsy lifestyle. He uses a dummy of a policeman for target practise, and organizes raids on million dollar mansions owned by the rich. His son Chad (Michael Fassbender) wants a better life for his son Tyson (Georgie Smith), who he sends to a mainstream school, and wants out of the gypsy world. But after a raid on a judge's home goes awry, he finds himself plunged into a situation that spirals out of control, as the police crack down hard on them.

My local community has, in recent times, suffered at the hands of the travelling community, who've caused disruption rolling up on various car parks and such (in schools, and cinemas, ironically enough...), leaving much mess behind and taking up valuable police resources in getting rid of them. This lawless culture would seem to leave a blight on many places around the country, with similar tales being reported in various media outlets. With his feature length debut, director Adam Smith attempts to bring the world to the forefront in a traditional crime story about loyalty, honour and respect that doesn't reach any dizzying heights, but still demands your attention and keeps you gripped till the end.

It's one of those films where the performances drive the movie, and the star of the show would have to be Gleason, who has the most effective presence as the head of the clan, commanding respect and undivided attention from his brethren, but a definite runner up would be Fassbender, who creates an authentic embodiment of a real life gypsy, from his language to his mannerisms and swagger. A supporting cast including Lyndsey Marshal and Sean Harris, have equal kudos, but unavoidably have more limited screen time to display it.

Story wise, it's compelling and mighty enough, but there's just not enough of a solid structure to it to make it quite as dynamic as it could have been. Still, it could have been a lot worse, and Smith at least has the respite to include some humour in the proceedings in the form of some witty writing. You won't come away loving gypsies any more, but you'll at least be woken up to the filmic potential their background provides. ***

Trespassing isn't always the way

[coreyjdenford · 4/10 · 28 February 2017]

This review of Trespass Against Us is spoiler free

** (2/5)

IN MANY WAYS, Trespass Against Us is an optimistic film implementing the gravitas of family values through three generations of Irish travellers. A narcissistic Christian father Colby Cutler (Brian Gleeson), he gives advice to the other members, his life values are inherited into Chad (Michael Fassbender) who lived under his father's shadow, which is influenced into the young eyes of his son Tyson (Georgie Smith).

Opening firmly with Tyson, Chad, and his father enjoying hare coursing. We learn here that Colby, will do anything to keep his family together he won't let them leave with his vice-like grip on them. He gives Chad jobs he doesn't want to do which gets him in a lot of trouble with typical police baddie Rory Kinnear. This ends up in turmoil for him and his family as he is constantly getting arrested, until his wife (Marshall) decides that she has had enough of Colby's ways she wants out.

This brings emotional heft as Colby tries his best to try and teach her that this is best for her family, he also preachers to her that the world is flat and there is no-where to go, but she ignores this and goes for it anyway. Unfortunately what she doesn't expect is that Chad is on another one of Colby's organised jobs, such as thievery, leading her to disbelieve in him. Colby will do anything to keep them together, even if that means threatening. The film get's progressively worse as the pacing begins to get shaky there are moments when it feels slower than it should and a couple of scenes that outstay there welcome.

However, it's not all bad as the performances by the two main stars are the heft with this, in addition there is also a shining set-piece involving a painted yellow Fiat Punto speeding through the streets of the closest town. Also first-time filmmaker Adam Smith adds some pathos here, when we learn that Chad will do literally anything to make his kids happy even if that means breaking and entering to steal an innocent animal for his son's birthday.

Sadly as much as it tries to add the emotional heft of togetherness there is one thing on our minds heading to the final moments, as we don't fully learn what the film's title Trespass Against Us really means, it's hard to understand what kind of message this film is firmly sending, seemingly it sends the in-depth message of family - perhaps sending one of learning to let go from those you love, whatever it is, it's not here.

VERDICT: A horribly put-together British crime-drama with a thin plot that even the performances can't save.

Okay storyline with no proper climax

[chaithanyakrishna · 6/10 · 10 May 2021]

The movie is about the life of the protagonist living a gypsy lifestyle relying on robberies as the source of income. While he wants to get out this lifestyle and wants to settle down to provide a stability for his family his father makes it impossible by threatening the people trying to help his son settle down. While the climax is not clear it appears that the protagonist finally decides to escape from the clutches of his father by getting caught in a robbery.

Null and Void

[Pramitheus · 4/10 · 20 January 2017]

I seriously don't know what the hell I just watched. I do remember putting it up in my watch-list because of the trailer and obviously because it stars Michael Fassbender. Still, as I write reviews, I am going to review it because it's not all poop. Now before I go on about this movie, let me make this clear. If there was some deep meaning in it, I didn't get it and I am so sorry. I am saying that because look at the title of the movie. It's so prosaic.

SCREENPLAY - OK, I am really not sure whether there was a screenplay for this movie. I really don't think, because nothing made sense. At least to me, it didn't make any sense whatsoever. They are a family of vagabonds, OK. They rob and come back, OK. They rob again and Fassbender gets caught, OK. There is just some random stuff going on. The only thing that made some sense is that Fassbender's character is kinda scared of his father, played by Gleeson and that's it. As there are no character developments or character-arcs, when something happens, I just couldn't care. Even the kids aren't lovable. The dialogue is strange. I am sure it is some form of dialect from the U.K., and maybe it is authentic but at the end of the day it has to make some bloody sense. I mean, for example take this, "Dogs can only play with cats so long before it's the dog that gets scratched". If you've any form explanation for that, please leave it in the comments.

DIRECTION - When you've got a script like that, I think there isn't anything you can direct. Is it possible to direct with such a vague script? I very much doubt that. Let's talk about the one interesting thing about the movie, and that is the robberies. That had a little bit of context and that is the Cutlers needed money to survive. Adam Smith went to the extent of sucking the context out of that too. I am literally pinching the gap between my forehead and nose. There was nothing. I didn't even have a spurt of emotion while watching this movie, and it has Fassbender in it. Even the father-son dynamic isn't strong enough. To sum it up, the direction was bland.

CINEMATOGRAPHY - The singular thing that kept me watching this snooze-fest was the cinematography and why wouldn't it be good? Eduard Grau has been the D.O.P. for The Gift(2015) and The Awakening(2011). The use of colour was more expressive than the actors. The car chase scenes were something. I think the Fast and Furious franchise needs camera-work like this to bring some realism into their action.

ACTING - I am so sorry but Michael Fassbender wasn't good in this movie. During the silent moments he was expressive with his eyes but whenever he spoke, he sounded so inexpressive. Probably because of the accent or the dialogues but that was some waste of talent. Brendan Gleeson managed to make a character. He came across blunt and dull-headed just fine. Sean Harris as that mad dude, was amazing. Amazing. Seriously, it looks like "what the hell is going on" but that is extremely difficult to pull off and that too consistently throughout the movie.

FINAL VERDICT - It is at the end of the day a pass. Nothing really here worth watching. I know, Michael is here but you will only be disappointed. At the end of the day, I do respect film-making. It's a tough process but it has to make sense, right? If it doesn't make sense to the average movie-goer, then what's the point? Now, if anybody has watched this and has found some inner, deep meaning then please do explain. I say that because whenever I don't make any sense out of a movie, I assume that I am not at that level yet to understand the movie. If you are going to explain the plot, then please don't. There isn't any. If there is some inner meaning? Please share.

Raw and dirty

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 2 September 2017]

This is a really tough movie to watch. It's not glitter it's not really made to be epic or anything else. It's a movie that stays low, that deals with a lot of strains, especially concerning family issues. But not just one dimensional ones, rather multiple ones. Blood related family, chosen family and so on.

Michael Fassbender and Gleeson are on a rampage acting wise. They really are amazing in this. The story is engaging enough and there is enough to enjoy. But you have to remember this is pretty gloomy. And the characters are not really people you'd necessarily root for in real life. But it's just that some people have to deal with different circumstances ... Not all the characters have to be likable - so just enjoy

Poor kids

[Dora_ · 6/10 · 2 June 2020]

Irresponsible parents. A main character has awful father and tries to be a good father for his own kids, but instead he does his best to be the same crap as his own father.

Horribly stupid film about horrible stupid people

[ryko25 · 1/10 · 6 January 2018]

Baffling. Baffling how this film got made, baffling what the director thought he was trying to say, baffling how this script was ever considered adequate and baffling that Fassbender and Gleeson saw fit to have anything to do with this utter turkey.

The main problem is that there isn't anything even approaching a sympathetic character - they are all loathsome and thus it is impossible to enjoy a single moment of anything that occurs. A total waste of time and effort.

original and perfectly acted movie

[antoniotierno · 7/10 · 18 July 2017]

In this seductive British drama Michael Fassbender plays a young father and member of a Traveller family caught in a very tricky situation. The language is rich with slang ('gorgies' are people who live in houses), and you realize this is a movie made by someone knowing the territory. Their accents may not be perfect but the duel between father and son, with violence just underneath the surface, is extremely convincing. There are serious themes at play: family conflict and the inheritance as well as rejection of values. The film also delivers fun with details like hiding from a police helicopter under a cow or joyriding in tiny cars through estates both council and gentry. It's a teasing celebration of outsiderdom without being an endorsement.

Couldn't get through it.

[adamjohns-42575 · 7 September 2023]

Trespass Against Us (2016) -

This film was not my thing at all. I hate, just hate the mentality of it, the anger and the stupidity. I'm sure that it didn't represent the entire Romany/Gipsy community, but it showed up the ones that it did represent as idiotic and thoughtless. Perhaps as it moved on, it would have shown Michael Fassbender's character Chad become a more useful member of society, but I couldn't get through it.

It was nice that Bender actually kept the same accent all the way through for a change though, or at least until the point that I turned it off anyway.

Despite it not being a film or even a style that I usually like, I was hoping that it would maybe have some fantastic dramatic performances from the two leading males, Mike and Brendan Gleeson as Colby, so I stuck with it as long as I could, but by the time a second dog was killed, I just couldn't put up with it any more. Not even for Michael and Brendon whom I usually enjoy.

Unscored as unfinished.

The view we all have of travel people.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 2 January 2022]

Trespass Against Us shows us what we all think about "travel people", "Pikeys", "Romanichel" or just Gipsies. It might be a bit cliché but foul language, fighting and thieving is what we all think about when it has anything to do with the Gipsy life. It made me think about that dumb reality show My Gipsy Wedding where every wedding used to end in a mass brawl, where Geordies (the people outside the Gipsy community) are not welcome. The movie is well made, with a good cast (a lot of actors that also played in the brilliant Irish series Love/Hate), and an entertaining story. Michael Fassbender plays the main character and did (like always) a very good job. The story might sometimes be a bit over the top but overal it reflects the Gipsy life perfectly. If it wasn't for the thieving I could totally agree with their way of life, far away from the "normal" way of life, not fitting in might be rebelious but then again freedom has no price.

Not a single redeeming quality

[arriva · 1/10 · 19 January 2017]

I sturdily watched this abomination of a film up to 1:15:00 mark and then fast forwarded it to the end because I just couldn't tolerate the pain any longer.

The pain comes from the fact that this movie is terribly slow and lazy while trying to be a decently paced drama about the life of a want-to-be-a-family-guy/criminal who tries to part his ways with his criminal past, his environment and his father who's a sort of kingpin.

The problem with this movie is that there are no likable characters and you just don't care about any of them except for the police officers who are being ridiculed by the gang since they almost always manage to come off clear of any wrongdoings they perform with a huge amount of impudence and contempt. A lot of time is spent showing the events that don't advance the plot or any of the main characters.

The film has enough power to leave most of you in awe!

[asifahsankhan · 7/10 · 4 July 2017]

Hot off the back of the truly awe-full Assassin's Creed, Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson teamed up once again, and did better this time around, surely!

Chad Cutler (Michael Fassbender) is a member of a criminal family of travellers living in a ramshackle community somewhere in the West Country. However, Chad is trying to escape the influence of his father Colby (Brendan Gleeson) to give his family a safer and less violent life.

Colby is an extremely religious man who rules the family with an iron fist, acting as a leader in both body and spirit. His proclamations of creationism grate with Chad and his wish for his children to be educated, unlike himself. This conflict is what drives most of the plot of Trespass Against Us, with Chad's son Tyson (Georgie Smith) usually being caught in the middle.

The dynamic between Fassbender and Gleeson's characters is the high-point of the film by far, with both actors putting in solid performances, even managing to hold their thick accents throughout. Together they build a believable, if not a slightly frosty, father- son relationship.

Fassbender is possibly one of the top hardest working actors in UK, with eleven credits since his BAFTA winning role in Hunger and Oscar-nominated roles in 12 Years A Slave and Steve Jobs so far, he hasn't disappointed.

In Trespass Against Us he proves once again his range, being able to disappear into any character in blockbusters and independent films alike. Although bringing his characteristic confidence to Chad, he also shows a softer side to what could otherwise be just another criminal hard man.

However, the film is also a surprisingly slow burn for what paints itself to be a crime drama. . . it's not! At least not your typical one.

Gleeson's Colby is both caring and sinister as the patriarch of the Cutler family, at one point screaming at a police officer 'Hell hath no fury like a locked-up super goat.' He uses his deep religious beliefs to reiterate his role as the head of the family, even convincing them that the Earth is flat.

Despite this, Trespass Against Us is never able to differentiate itself from other films in the genre. The travelling community is shown as nothing more than a mi-sh mash of different stereotypes and caricatures. Chad's family are not given adequate room to develop and end up feeling like props – rather than a part of the greater narrative.

Overall, the film has enough power and can leave most of you in awe, in a very respectable way as Fassbender and Gleeson get one more shot at greatness together, because they definitely deserve it!

it's just a meaningless mess

[srjohannes · 4/10 · 9 February 2021]

Trespass Against Us doesn't have a focus and it's terribly inconsistent. The main character doesn't have an established desire because it's constantly changing into who knows what, which is part of the reason why the main character is so unlikable. You think he cares for his family and some of his actions prove that, but others don't. You think he wants a different life, but most of his actions disprove that. Even the conflicts in the story aren't consistent. You think it's about a conflict between a father and a son, but the conflict ultimately becomes about the police and the father and son conflict is kind of off and on throughout the entire film. This film is just a horrible mess, it doesn't know what it wants to be, it doesn't know what it wants to say. I rate Trespass Against Us a 5/10.

Good Movie!

[kolleen_adelphia1 · 6/10 · 9 November 2020]

This was an over all good movie. It could've been just as good, if not better with a little less swearing. Just because they're portraying "gypsies" doesn't mean they need every other word to be a curse word. Also, they could've portrayed the lack of education with a little more finesse. CHEERS!!! X

Anarchy in the English Countryside

[larrys3 · 4/10 · 8 March 2017]

It's hard not to like a movie with the terrific actors Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson in it, and you can add a superb performance from Lyndsey Marshal here, as well. However, this film about a traveling band of criminals, in Northern England, is so full of characters who are so devoid of conscience and border on being despicable, that it prevented me from having any empathy for any of them (except the kids who are trapped in their circumstances).

As other reviewers have mentioned, the accents are so thick that I had to rely on subtitles, and even then there are so many slang expressions used that it was hard to totally grasp the dialog. Also, a strong warning that there are 2 dogs murdered in the movie, one being a police dog. There's extremely raw and explicit language throughout the film as well.

Overall, the acting is most solid and there are some original and interesting concepts here, but the anarchic theme and completely anti- social characters prevented me from really caring about what happened to any of them.

Very good - but you might need subtitles

[alanjamesbuchan · 9/10 · 22 January 2017]

Fassbender is a good actor as is Brendan Gleeson and the story is a good one.

It is hard to understand what they say & i am Scottish!! It's all gypo ( gypsie) talk and anyone from anywhere else other than the UK is going to have a hard time with this - subtitles needed :)

The story is a well trodden one - where the main character wants to change his life but is enmeshed in the culture he was brought up in and it's taking him down.

Some good car chases - even through fields!! Someone said it has no redeeming qualities but ultimately it's not Hollywood and there are no happy endings. A good gritty story with tension and a fair bit of action - food character study - Fassbender does a good job here.

Great acting but so slow an almost uninspired. One of the biggest disappointments I have seen in a long time

[cosmo_tiger · 5/10 · 6 March 2017]

"Here's the truth, you pass it down from father to son. From father, son, grandson." Chad Cutler (Fassbender) has been involved in his dad Colby's (Gleeson) for his entire life. Chad's son is starting to understand what is going on and Chad makes a decision to get out of the family business. Things aren't always as easy as they seem though. This is a movie I had pretty high expectations for. Both of the main actors are great and this is really my style of movie. That being said I can't remember the last time I was this disappointed in one. I really really struggled to get into this movie and there never really seemed to be a plot or something to keep the story moving forward. The acting is great, but that can only take a movie so far. I'm sure many people will enjoy this one, but as for me I got bored early on and never really got to a point where I cared about what was going on. Overall, great acting but so slow an almost uninspired. One of the biggest disappointments I have seen in a long time. I sadly give this a C.

Wanting to change the life course, but it's not happening.

[Reno-Rangan · 6/10 · 14 July 2017]

This is a British crime-drama, about a family with the criminal background. The happily married son with two children, wants to get out of what his family used to and have a normal life. Since they all live close by, he had a hard time escaping from it. Sooner or later he has to make a decision on behalf of his family, particularly thinking the future of his kids. Yeah, this storyline seems interesting, but not the same as you watch it. Great cast, no doubt on that. Even basic plot, the theme is a confident boosting thing, if anyone watching the film are in one way or another is in the similar position.

The film lacked from developing on what the opening had initiated. Nice characters, though. I expected something to remember about the film, like emotionally or the events with twists and turns. This is not a bad film, but a simple one. So not everybody would get disappointing of it. All I think is a fine opportunity was missed out. That means I blame the screenplay, despite the actors and director tried their best to turn it out as much as possible decent to the better. So don't ignore it as it is rated low and for bad reviews. It's just not a film that everybody would feel they are satisfied with.

6/10