Rollin' with the Nines

This movie lacks all the proper elements that make a good gangster movie. In fact I can say that this movie is proof of the fact that violence alone doesn't make a good movie. There are too many scenes that are just too much that story wise easily could have been avoided. One scene with Naomi Taylor did give some motive of her actions following the crime she is subjected to. Only I could not shake the feeling that almost everything in the movie was illogical and unrealistic. "Rolling with the nines" is a beautifully choreographed mess. With no real main character it is very difficult to invoke sympathy for any lead. The movies goes from one event to another,from one character to another and it never gets clear who we are supposed to follow. Maybe it was me but I couldn't sense any good in any of the characters. Almost all of them did repulsive questionable things. There is one action scene that stands out and is one of the highlights of the movie. The other good thing was the very brief appearance of Billy Murray. Other than that I would suggest to ignore this movie since it is one of the worst gangster movies ever made!

There is no doubt that this film sticks in the mind. But it is most defiantly a film that will split opinions down the middle. Violent and morally dubious this film turns the stomach.

The direction is confident but the rape scene will unsettle to the point of nausea, as will the frequent violence.

But there's just something else about this film. Something highly unsettling. I can't put my finger on in it but there's something that just makes you feel… dirty. And I'm no prude.

Mostly the cast is good but it's all a bit lock stock for my liking.

Special mention to Terry Stone who is very good, if occasionally over reliant on the dreaded C word but Vas Blackwood and Jayson Fleming just seem like they are sleep walking through there doubtless well paid roles.

Technically proficient, well made and with a certain sheen that most UK films lack this film has more than it's fair share of stand out moments. But as I said it leaves you feeling... dirty.

Like 'Scarface' 'Rollin with the Nines' is set to be a cult movie. This Movie is all about a very hotly debated topic which is spiralling out of control namely "Black on Black" Gun Crimes in the UK. It's not about white cop's even though they play a small part. Let it be know this Movie is about Urban-Life in the UK, what we call "The grime". In the same way that movies like 'Boyz in the Hood' and 'Menace to Society' awoke the general American psyche this film is destined to do likewise. 'City of Gods' told a story which the general World-population was totally oblivious to and 'Rollin with the Nines'will no doubt have the same affect. The Lead is prodigiously played by VAS BLACKWOOD(Rory Breaker, Lock-Stock and Two Smoking) Who delivers Machiavellian style performance. Robbie Gee(Snatch)Commands the Screen with such poetic intimidation that he reminded me of a Young Samuel L. Jackson. The third male lead is played by Newcomer Roffem Morgan and trust me given the right breaks this Kid will become a Star. The Female lead is played Naomi Taylor. This is also Naomi first film debut and for her Stardom is only a plane ticket too Hollywood away. 'Rollin with the Nines' is a gun slinging, crime don't pay Hit Movie. Finally the soundtrack left me Breathless. Go see this movie.

I saw Rollin' with the nines in Newham Showcase Cinema on Friday, and I was very pleasantly surprised! The first maybe 20-25 minutes was extremely hard to get into. It was a bit of a barrage on your senses getting thrown into this world at the deep end. However the film changes direction at the half hour mark and goes from strength to strength.

The best bit of the whole film was the first raid on the yardies. It was as good if not better then the Hollywood film Narc, which I love. It was really excellent, got the heart racing and was filmed brilliantly. Another nice scene was the tale of the Sawn off 12 gauge, original and clever.

Me and my mates who went to see it all agreed Rollin' was best when following the coppers. Weird I know, because after most gangster films it kind of makes you want to be a gangster, but the film shows those characters life's so brutally that after the film it kind of makes you want to a hard arse detective, even though they were 'corrupt' cops! The best performance is from Terry Stone, he has a real screen presence, stealing scenes away from seasoned Brit flick actors like Vas Blackwood and Jason Flemyng.

A really brilliant effort for a low budget British film, I hope it gets the cinema time it rightfully deserves, especially when their is rubbish like Scary Movie 4 out there clogging up our theatres! It may start very heavy for the average cinema goer but stick with it, because by the end you don't want it to end.

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits

Too Fine (Simon Webbe of boy band Blue) and his friends Finny (Vas Blackwood), Pushy (Robbie Gee) and Rage (Roffem Morgan) have formed an underground garage group called Too Fine and are hoping to make it into the big leagues. But it all goes tragically wrong when he is murdered by a rival gang leader over an unpayed street debt from his time selling rock on the streets. To make matters worse, with him gone, the weight of that burden falls on the shoulders of his sister Hope (Naomi Taylor) who is then beaten up and raped by his killer, with a promise of worse things to come if the debt is not settled soon. However, realizing there is no realistic way to settle the debt in time and to seek revenge for her brother's murder and her rape, she visits the man early one morning and blasts him to death. The dust seems to settle a little after this, until she learns that one of the man's top suppliers, gangster David Brumby (Billy Murray) has now lost a valuable source of income. Suggesting they work together instead of against each other, they split the difference and Hope and her brother's friends hit the streets again to sell the poison that got them by in the first place. However after an horrific nightclub shooting at the hands of Pushy and Rage in retaliation for Too Fine's murder, two persistent detectives start getting on their backs and it's only a matter of time before everything threatens to come crashing down around them.

This small, independent British gangster film has won acclaim at numerous Film Festivals and such, but has had an extremely limited distribution on it's release over here. But like other film's of it's sort, despite it's faults, it's destined to be one of those little seen gems that always gets this sort of distribution.

It's a film with a great sense of style, slickly shot and cleverly edited, as well as what is surely a very real depiction of the lives of those it is based around. It also delivers the goods in terms of being hard-hitting and powerful when it needs to be, with some strong, blood-thirsty violence with a lot of loud bangs present in some scenes. However it is the performances that are really noteworthy. Taylor has a certain sexiness to her in her role, a sort of strong black woman type which has appeal. Murray as Brumby is okay, but as soon as I saw him, I couldn't help but think of him as Johnny Allan from East Enders and hearing him use words like 'f*ck' and 'c*nt' really felt funny, especially as he says them in front of a lady, when you think of what a gentleman he's supposed to be in real life. Blackwood, Gee, Morgan and Webbe (making his film debut in what is a very small role) just sort of do what the script requires and fade into the background a little, but Terry Stone as one of the detectives has a good main role.

As I said, it has it's faults. It's not the most original sort of film we've been seeing at the moment, it's a bit excessive at times and it feels a little overlong. But if anywhere near you's showing it, it's a little released urban gem that's worth seeking out and seeing. ****