Spivs has a believable, clever but not over complicated plot. As the film starts with the stereotypical spiv characters we seem in store for a light hearted conmen comedy, an attempt at 'The Sting' maybe. But the film becomes gradually darker and nothing you thought you could predict occurs. The desperation and anguish that overcomes the main character is brilliantly portrayed by Ken Stott, as we are transferred from the feel of 'Shooting Fish' to 'Mona Lisa'. All performances are good with Stott stealing the show but the mafia boss wasn't menacing enough and seemed slightly out of place, while his main henchman was very frightening. The direction was generally OK with some genuinely gripping scenes but some overused flashy camera-work did lose the film some momentum in places. Overall, I enjoyed the film.
Review of Spivs
