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Kelly Brook plays a shop assistant turned outlaw in a breezy London tale that doesn’t do justice to writer/director Maeve Murphy’s talents

Ever envisaged Kelly Brook as a latterday Bonnie Parker? Me neither. But talented writer/director Maeve Murphy has other ideas, casting Kelly as disgruntled shop employee Kate who decides to rob her place of work when redundancy looms. It’s fluffy, sunny fare, shot in breezy London locales that go some way towards disguising the ropey plot and televisual contrivance.

Personally, I much preferred Murphy’s short film, Sushi, the tasty appetiser to this altogether more bland main course.

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It has some appealing quirky touches, but Maeve Murphy’s comedy might have worked better on the small screen

Maeve Murphy is the award-winning theatre and film director whose debut feature Silent Grace (2001) was a tough drama about Irish Republican hunger-strikers in women’s prisons. For her new movie, she has gone for a larky comedy caper – for me it didn’t gel, despite some divertingly surreal touches. Kelly Brook plays Kate, an out-of-work actor dumped by her boyfriend on the same day as being laid off from her humiliating stopgap job selling cutesy home furnishings. In a rage, she conceives a bizarre plan to rob this store of its cash takings, imitating her secret heroine, beret-wearing outlaw Bonnie Parker of Bonnie and Clyde fame. There are some nice exterior locations in King’s Cross, London: a nod to the Ealing classic The Ladykillers. It has a quirkiness that might have worked better on television.

When settling in to watch Maeve Murphy’s third feature length film Taking Stock, you soon realise this is not an instance where it’s fair to be particularly disparaging, or overtly judgemental, given how modest sized a budget is behind this undemanding endeavour. But having limited resources should become an instant excuse for a film’s shortcomings.

The post Taking Stock Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Read More: UK Distributor Swipe Films Acquires Rights to Festival-Winning Dramedy 'Taking Stock' [Editor's Note: This article is presented in partnership with Shinola in support of Brit Takes, our monthly dispatch on the UK film scene. As makers of modern watches, bicycles, leather goods, and journals, Shinola stands for skill at scale, the preservation of craft and the beauty of industry. Learn more about Shinola handcrafted goods.] Maeve Murphy is a name to look out for next month, especially if you are across the pond. As a native of Belfast, Ireland, she's brought her insight of the discrepancy between Irish and English heritage onto the big screen through her feature films. She kicked off her career over a decade ago with the controversial "Silent Grace," which tells the story of the Armagh Women's Prisons in 1980 and the unreported female involvement in the Dirty Protests and hunger strikes. Her second feature, "Beyond the Fire," followed...

Read More: Watch: Bonnie and Clyde Meet Martin Scorsese in Gangster-Fueled 'The Wannabe' Trailer UK distributor Swipe Films has acquired the UK rights to Belfast-born director Maeve Murphy's latest feature, "Taking Stock," and has announced that it will release the indie feature on February 12, 2016.  Featuring Kelly Brook in a starring role, Murphy's newest film won four Angel Film Awards at its international premiere at the 13th Annual Monaco International Film Festival, held in in Monte Carlo last weekend. The decision was made thanks to an all-female jury, which included the executive producer of "Beasts of No Nation," Elika Portnoy. In total, "Taking Stock" won the Independent Spirit Award, co-star Junichi Kajioka won the Best Supporting Actor Award, Gerry Vasbenter won Best Cinematographer and Maeve Murphy, Frank Mannion and Richard Yetzes won for Best Producer. Murphy is an award-winning writer/director...

Kelly Brook was pictured on the set of upcoming British comedy drama Taking Stock in London this afternoon (July 2).

The 34-year-old model wore a floral New Look dress and heeled sandals as she filmed a scene during which she stepped in a huge pile of dog poo before bursting into tears.

In another scene, Brook is seen being hand-fed sushi by a co-star as she sits on some steps crying, before walking the streets barefoot and looking distressed.

Brook stars as a fast-rising actress in the Bonnie and Clyde-inspired movie written and directed by Maeve Murphy, who has a breakdown when her boyfriend leaves her and the shop she works in goes bankrupt.

Speaking about the leading role recently, Brook said: "It is so important that we continue to support British filmmaking and Maeve has written one of the best scripts I've read in a long time.

"I can't...

Reawakening

Sarah Bolger will co-star with Olivia Wilde and Mark Duplass in David Gelb's "Reawakening" at Lionsgate. Luke Dawson and Jeremy Slater penned the script.

The story follows a team of research students that discovers the secret to bringing subjects back from the dead — however, their actions result in a series of sinister consequences. [Source: Variety]

My A**hole Neighbor

Will Sasso ("The Three Stooges") has landed the title role opposite David Koechner in Andrew Currie’s suburban comedy "My A**hole Neighbor". Filming begins mid-August in Vancouver.

Sasso plays a loud and rude redneck who moves next door to a professional mediator Paul (Koechner), turning his world upside down. Once his private little patch of peaceful suburbia is invaded, the peace-loving Paul finds himself waging war on Jerry. [Source: Deadline]

Alexander and the Terrible...

Newcomer Ed Oxenbould ("Puberty Blues") will play the title role in Miguel Arteta's "Alexander and the Terrible,...

Kelly Brook will star in a new British comedy-drama film inspired by Bonnie and Clyde.

Taking Stock, written and directed by Maeve Murphy, will feature Brook as a fast-rising actress who falls on hard times when her boyfriend leaves her and the store she works in goes bankrupt. On the last day of trading, Brook's character hatches a plot to rob the store but faces trouble when her plans start to fall apart.

Brook said of her latest big screen role: "It is so important that we continue to support British filmmaking and Maeve has written one of the best scripts I've read in a long time.

"I can't wait to get back to doing what I love, which is being on set and working with a hugely talented cast and crew."

Her previous film credits include Keith Lemon: The Film, Piranha 3D and Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.

Video: Keith Lemon...

Swipe Films boards sales on comedy-drama which shoots July 1.

Kelly Brook is to star in comedy-drama Taking Stock, written and directed by Maeve Murphy.

The Bonnie and Clyde-inspired feature, set in London and Paris, begins shoot on July 1.

Swipe Films has boarded sales during Luff.

Scot Williams, Georgia Groome, Jay Brown, Xavier Alcan and Femi Oyeniran round out the cast. Gerry Vasbenter is DoP.

For full production credits visit

Taking Stock

The film was developed by Northern Ireland Screen and is based on the short Sushi, also written and directed by Murphy, which won the Sub-Ti International Short Film Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2011.

Co-financiers are Prime Focus and producers are Geoff Austin and Maeve Murphy, with Frank Mannion of Swipe Films as executive producer.

Brook said: “I am excited to start filming Taking Stock. It’s a hilarious film full of twists and turns. It is so important that we continue to support...

Irish funded feature film 'Beyond the Fire' directed and scripted by Irish filmmaker Maeve Murphy has been awarded the top prize of Best UK Feature at the London Independent Cinema Awards. On the back of the award, the film will be released in cinemas in the UK on June 17, 2009 by Met Film Distribution. Maeve Murphy and cast including Scot Williams and Cara Seymour were present at the Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill, to receive the award. Centering on a love story between a girl and an ex-priest, 'Beyond the Fire' also features a soundtrack with music from Irish folk band Kila and Chris O'Neill.

Maeve Murphy's second feature film 'Beyond the Fire' will screen tonight (April 22nd) at the London Independent Film Festival. Nominated for Best UK Feature & Best Director at the Festival, 'Beyond the Fire' tells the story of Sheamy (Scot Williams – 'Hillsbourough'), a gentle Irish ex-priest who arrives in London to find his old family friend and mentor Father Brendan. After an unsuccessful search Sheamy reaches out to the only other person he knows in London, Rory (Chris O'Neil – 'Backbeat').