British cinema is thoroughly disappointing at the best of times.  Its product seems to consist of either unbearably lightweight pap or wooden and earnest social commentary that bores with its incessant sermonising.  Occasionally (i.e. once a generation) you may get a film like The Long Good Friday but these are far and few between.  Seeing the average British film would make anyone think that here is a nation that hasn't a clue how to make a picture.