I missed this film at the cinema due to its mixed reviews. Without entering into the debate about british critics I found myself wondering if I was watching a different. This film was reviewed as a british gangster film which it isn't. It is however very british in its characterisation and dialogue, although there is something continental about it which lifted it out of the mire of other brit flicks for me. It is a black comedy which occasionally makes you laugh out loud and other times is black enough to be "noir". Hans Mattheson plays an unsuccessful market trader called Virgil Guppy who has all the necessary accessories - chic PR-girl girlfriend (Beth Winslet), jaguar car, high flying friends but but doesn't have the portfolio to back it up. In fact it is the Jaguar car which proves to be his down fall when a body is discovered in the boot and he is framed for murder. He is sacked, his girlfriend leaves him - in short he loses everything. Finding himself down and out on the streets he is adopted by a rag-taggle mob of car theives led by Tiffany Shades played by Charlotte Coleman. In what could be her best performance for a good while Coleman is spot on as the enigmatic, sexy and streetwise Tiffany who, together with her nine year old son and his gay bosnian babysitter, help Virgil Guppy get his life back. Matheson is fine in the lead, Beth Winslet proves Kate is not the only Winslet who can act whilst succeeding in being different from her sister, and Coleman is very watchable indeed. This young cast is ably supported by Clive Russel - always good value and Lynda Bellingham - the oxo mum playing a prostitute with a heart of gold. The film is well cast and none of them let the production down. This film won't change your life but it if fun and very watchable. Some of the well written dialogue sticks and many of the scenes stay with you several days later. All in all a very good effort which deserves at the very least to be seen and I urge you to seek it out. I think we will be seeing more from Gareth Rhys Jones and if nothing else Charlotte Coleman is worth the admision alone.<br /><br />