A Deal Is a Deal (2008)
"Three and Out" (original title)

A comedy about ordinary people with unique dilemmas. How far will they go? Will the cocktail of desperation, friendship, loneliness, love and even a brush with cannibalism derail their intent?

Director:

Jonathan Gershfield

Writers:

Steve Lewis, Tony Owen

Stars:

Mackenzie Crook, Colm Meaney, Sharon Duncan-Brewster

7 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Mackenzie Crook	...	Paul Callow
Colm Meaney	...	Tommy Cassidy
Sharon Duncan-Brewster	...	Yvonne
Imelda Staunton	...	Rosemary Cassidy
Antony Sher	...	Maurice (as Sir Antony Sher)
Gary Lewis	...	Callaghan
Annette Badland	...	Maureen
Dean Kelly	...	Duty Constable
Frank Dunne	...	Danny Fitzpatrick
Kerry Katona	...	Mary Loughlin
Steve Money	...	Muscles
Rhashan Stone	...	Ash
Gemma Arterton	...	Frankie Cassidy
Mark Benton	...	Vic
Rob Witcomb	...	Frankie's Friend

Storyline

Paul is a London tube driver with dreams of a cottage in a bee-loud glade. He's told that if his train strikes and kills one more person this month, he'll get a large severance, enough for the cottage. So he offers £1500 to Tommy Cassidy, a down-and-out Irishman, if Tommy will walk in front of Paul's train come Monday. He gives Tommy the cash on Friday. Wanting to ensure that Tommy honors the deal, Paul accompanies a cleaned-up Tommy on his trip (in a new suit and a hired car) to make things right with family he hasn't seen in eight years. Can Tommy, an inveterate gambler, make anything come out right? And what about Paul - can this suicide pact fulfill his dreams?

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Plot Keywords:

cottage | down and out | irishman | friendship | love | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about how far you would go to change your life.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 April 2008 (UK)

Also Known As:

A Deal Is a Deal

Filming Locations:

Brent Cross Shopping Centre, Hendon, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$5,750,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£189,454 (UK) (25 April 2008)

Gross:

£189,454 (UK) (25 April 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rovinge Motion Picture Company (RMPC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car that Tommy Cassidy rents has the number plate: 430 TUO, a reference to the title of the film. (TUO = OUT)

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Goofs

The subtitle of the book read by the man that Paul sees in the library is mispunctuated: "A Gay Mans Guide" instead of "A Gay Man's Guide".

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Crazy Credits

Clips from the film are shown during the ending, ending on Paul Callow thanking Frankie.

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Soundtracks

"If I Should Fall From Grace With God"
Performed by The Pogues

User Reviews

A little gem and a lotta Gemma

Maybe it really was a marketing muck-up to put this film forward as a wacky comedy, but having expected that I was actually happier with the moving, provocative and poetic story I got instead. It's a lot more memorable and thus valuable. Colm Meaney and Imelda Staunton, just by looking at each other, convey more about the pains and regrets that life generates than many a more 'serious' or arty film manages despite loftier, often more pretentious ambitions. This is a film that actually acknowledges the human condition and then poses a rather crucial, if usually ignored question about life, and even braves an answer to that question too. How often does this happen? Probably more often in Britain than in Hollywood, so let's be grateful for this, shall we?

In any case, claiming that it's a crass 'comedy about suicide' as some have done is about as accurate as saying The Producers is a comedy about the holocaust. And Tube Driver Union spokespeople: get a life.