Pimp (2010) User Reviews

Very Disappointing

[Caribstu · 2/10 · 20 July 2010]

Written and directed by Robert Cavanagh, who also plays the lead role of Woody, an underworld pimp who moves amongst the shadows, dealers and whore that work the streets of London's Soho.

Being a big fan of British films, and the London gangster genre I had high hopes and expectations of this film. I was very disappointed.

A mix if faux documentary and crime/drama/love story, Pimp seems not to know it's own identity and Cavanagh as a director is completely lost. Throughout the entire film there is a barrage of clichés and heavy handed influence from far superior films.

It takes too long to get into it's stride and when it finally does the premise is just nonsensical. Danny Dyer, who has impressed in previous vehicles was poorly cast and somewhat contrived rather than convincing. Really, I'm struggling to write a review about this film because I was so disappointed.

In short, Avoid.

A bad film!

[wayofthecass · 3/10 · 18 November 2010]

Pimp by Robert Cavanah is a novel project. Out of his frustration at not getting cast in any decent roles he decided to co-write, produce, direct and even star in this production. Kudos to him for getting it done. But that's where the back slapping ends. There are some nice shots, all the girls are beautiful, and Cavanah can really act (indeed if he simply wanted to use this as a platform to showcase his acting talent then mission accomplished) but the story is an inferior take off of the decent '8MM' with Nicholas Cage: the dialogue is a load of condescending, pretentious rubbish: it's pretty scatter brain in it's approach and the concept of it being a fly on the wall documentary is absurd. I mean yeah, like pimps, hookers, drug dealers, porn barons, triads and secretive sex clubs are just going to allow themselves to be filmed without realising the likely legal repercussions of their actions. Clearly though this approach has been adopted in order to cover up the blatant lack of budget. Any budget there was most likely went on paying the 'star' that being of course the rent a 'hardman' Danny Dyer. As just about everyone has noted, Dyer is mis-cast. I don't mind Dyer playing the hooligan wide boy or lower level villain and indeed think he's pretty good when cast against type as the victim but increasingly Dyer just seems to do straight to DVD, bargain bucket British tosh, shot with the standard Lock, Stock filter. That combined with his persistent appearances on British lad TV in shows such 'Britain's Hardest B@stards', 'Britains Even Harder Hard B@stards' and 'Britains Hardest Harder B@stards IV' makes him increasingly difficult to take seriously in any shape or form as a crime syndicate kingpin.

The film itself follows the title character Cavanah (he's the pimp) as he goes about his daily seedy business before receiving what seems like a mock snuff movie which he increasingly becomes concerned might be real. Meanwhile he's caught in the middle of a turf war between well dressed, generic triad newcomers to the scene (funny as I thought the Chinese had been in the UK for several decades) and the aforementioned Dyer and his brother who have taken over from their recently deceased father as heads of the established Soho villain racket. Cavanah also falls in love with the very beautiful Chinese asylum seeker Bo in an extremely underdeveloped and unconvincing love angle which sort of leaves you feeling like Cavanah took full advantage of his creative control in the casting and plot development.

It's full of generic dialogue and torture and intimidation scenes you've seen a million times before. But credit to Cavanah who at least carries it off with realistic conviction, if only from an acting perspective. The pretentious and confusing ending pretty much puts the cherry on top of what was a by the numbers, contemporary London gangster movie which ticked all the boxes that Zoo magazine readers are looking for.

I caught the film late night on Bravo cable channel which appears to have an unwritten rule of only freeing up a few hours a day for programming which doesn't feature Danny Dyer. Anyway in summation, it's not one to be sought out put it that way.

Note: The first review by 'masterly-thorn' has been blatantly submitted by someone involved with the production. Giving this movies 10 out of 10 is completely ludicrous and frankly pathetic! May I recommend that they re-watch without the use of the rose tinted spectacles.

Misfiring post moderny trawl through sleazy London underworld

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 4/10 · 4 August 2010]

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Soho pimp Woody (Robert Cavanagh) tries to run as tight a ship on his business as he can, but rival competitors are always on edge to spoil his game. Still, he gets by as well as he can, but when he starts receiving snuff tapes that appear to show his girls being brutally murdered, things get heavy.

Another film where Danny Dyer is mis-sold on the front cover, this time as the main star when more time is given to Cavanagh. Like a lot of modern films, Pimp is aiming to be clever, with it's use of the camera and style of story-telling, but the result is unsuccessful. The frequent new character introductions are disconcerting, especially as many are never heard from again, and the camera style wavers around in an uncomfortable manner. The mock documentary style gets in the way of a decent, coherent story, which fails to hook you in and get you following it in any way, only being able to vaguely make anything out. In more competent hands, this could have been pulled off wonderfully. As it is, it's quite a jumbled mess. **

Inflammatory Content, Vaguely Interesting Story

[jmverville · 5/10 · 29 May 2010]

The film Pimp is characterized by comical violence and sexuality that pushes the viewers good taste -- I advise people to only watch this if they do not mind such extreme content.

The style of filming is interesting and unorthodox, and some of the cinematic work was pleasing. The storyline jumps around a lot and demands the viewer to pay close attention to different plot changes.

I found it to be entertaining in its own way, although sometimes apparently crude for the mere sake of being crude. However, if you approach the film with this knowledge and view it just as some light entertainment it is not that bad of a film.

Nonsense

[Angelus2 · 1/10 · 20 December 2010]

A Pimp decides to have a film crew follow him around..(Don't ask) It one of the most ridiculous idea's I've heard, surely a Pimp would try to hide his activities from the general public and the police, but here we have a one dimensional character who likes 'quotes' that sound profound...If the quote ' A killer is just a person without imagination'..or something along those lines, is profound then we have serious problem.

The film is over the top with 'Danny Dyer' pretending to be mister big time gangster, who thinks that racism will make him sound tough.

The lavish sets and beautiful women, do little to improve the film, the awful dialogue and even worse characters fail to entice the audience.

Waste of time!

[RodrigAndrisan · 2/10 · 19 May 2018]

I find it hard to write something about this movie. Because all I can say is that it's really bad. Probably the intentions were good, but the end result is lamentable. The actors, Robert Cavanah (who is also the director of the film), Danny Dyer, Billy Boyd, Gemma Chan, Barbara Nedeljakova, they all do everything they can, they try their best, but the script is close to zero. Just a waste of money and some talent. Two stars because it can fool you, making you think it's really a documentary. But only in the first 5 minutes. After that, you realize they are actors, not real characters in real life.

Behind the scenes and under the skirts

[kosmasp · 1/10 · 19 October 2010]

Well not exactly, but this pseudo documentary does try to shine light behind the scenes. I think it is daring to go places a normal movie wouldn't go and the idea as it is, is interesting. But while the commentaries seem forced (and like a bad cliché), what really drowns the movie, is the fact that it tries to put a fictionalized story behind it all.

In other words, it tries to give the whole thing a meaning. Which goes completely against the mood/goal it set out to do. It is profane and will not be for those easily offended. But while there is also (some) explicit footage, this anything but exciting (pun intended). Of course, if you'd be looking for a special kind of excitement, you'd know where to look for it. That's not what I'm referring to. The movie as it is, is a drag. It feels just too long (but then again, that's just me ... try it out, but if you're not hooked after the first minutes, I highly doubt the movie will win you over by the end)

A movie, pimped out badly

[videorama-759-859391 · 2/10 · 9 October 2014]

How disappointing this movie was. I was expecting it to be real sleazy, with a lot of sex and nudity. Hey, that's my thing. Instead. like that Daryl Hannah film, Whore, we've again for a kind of a part docu film, where again the result here, is pretty disastrous. This is in the life of a pimp, who honestly, we really don't care much for. He's not interesting enough, or nearly not at all to be precise. This pimp is faced with a dilemma and could very well be, digging a hole for himself. We have again those talk to camera shots, where frankly, Dyer's acting as an despicable mob guy, again is too much. Yet he does give a strong and nasty performance, but he tries too hard. See this with other films he acts in. And who else should pop up, as one of his girls, a Hostel hottie. Dyer's actions too towards the end are sick as well as being so over the top. These and those dull realistic scenes of the pimp and his new found Asian girlfriend go together like Norman Bates and Gandhi. If you're thinking of hiring this to see a lot of T and A, or a lot of sex, as expecting this to be, like a lot of other saucy prostitute flicks, you will be pretty shot down. There is some, in this but it's tasteless. Honestly watching these pro dramas, done in a doco versus fiction style, honestly doesn't work. The two contrasts don't gel. This movie should of decided which track to take. The one thing I did love was the finale music score, and may'be Dyer's thankful demise, a little.

Don't waste your time

[stephenbishop-22925 · 1/10 · 29 December 2018]

This must be the most terrible film I have ever seen. Danny Dyer should just be ashamed to be associated with this drivel. Robert Cavanagh just deserves better. A poorly scripted, badly acted, terribly directed movie that doesn't even deserve DVD status. No wonder it only made £205 at the cinema. I was bought the DVD as a joke present, and I am not Danny Dyer's biggest fan. He is over rated and plays the same characterisation in anything he does. But this just proves my point.

Spend a week with a pimp.

[michaelRokeefe · 3/10 · 25 April 2014]

Robert Cavanah directs, produces, writes and stars in this seedy British thriller presented in a mock-documentary style. Cavanah plays the lead role, Woody, a Soho pimp, who allows a camera team to follow him for a week. Woody faces setbacks in the prostitution business due to a recession; he comes under scrutiny of a harsh boss(Danny Dyer), pushing him to be less tolerant and to ramp up discipline of his stable of girls. Woody is under pressure to show he is not too old in his ways doing business. A turf war has started with the local Chinese and his top earner Petra(Barbara Nedeljakova)turns up missing. And during this havoc filled week, Woody receives a mysterious tape featuring one of his girls being raped and murdered. Sex, betrayal, murder; this film is definitely not for everyone...but somehow does keep you captive if you allow it. Also in the cast: Billy Boyd, Robert Fucilla, Scarlett Alice Johnson, Gemma Chen, Susi Amy and Corey Johnson.

Tight, and "gritty" and Danny Dyre is (again) outclassed

[Gladys_Pym · 8/10 · 2 June 2010]

OK. I was prepared to but fairly unimpressed. The only other 2 reviews included one neutral one and one from the production company.

But all in all, I WAS impressed. The story line throws you a few unexpected left of field surprises, the bad brothers are suitably bonkers, the violence was - well, OK - realistic, I suppose.

But the best thing, for me, was Robert Cavanah. He plays a complex lead, in a tough situation - in a number of ways - and he plays it very very well.

Danny D continues not to live up to what he seems to think his potential is. On the other hand, I guess he's making money.

And the votes for this film? 2.6/10 at the moment? Nearly half the votes are at 1, but none of them have left a review? Someone CLEARLY doesn't like this film, and doesn't want it to be a success on IMDb.

Entertaining Obscene Realistic Uncomfortable Viewing

[mrcibubur · 6/10 · 12 July 2010]

This is a film about prostitution seen through the eyes of one guy Woody who has cams following him about his work as a Pimp in downtown London England. It is realistic because this is how a Pimp works and how he is likely to be treated and respond to the dangers of his environment. Actually this is more of a drama and there are few scenes which will offend in a sexual way, mostly only the extreme blasphemies which is a common feature of British films of this kind.

Don't be put off, for example if you saw 'This is England' or 'Green Street Hooligans', then you will be at home with the raw material of this movie. I was never convinced however with the choice of the actress playing the Chinese girl who was the pawn in the sexual politics of the story but perhaps it doesn't matter in the overall relativity of the story.

It is a sort of 'paranormal activity' movie except the cam follows the pimp wherever he goes and whatever he does.

The film for me is obscene and offensive but at the same time I found it curiously entertaining. It is uncomfortable viewing but this is life and the world of prostitution. Other films such as 'Trade' and 'Human Trafficking' addressed the issue in a different way, it begs the question whether we can feel sympathy for a 'pimp'.

the same sentiments crossed my mind a couple of years when I watched a film called 'Hustle and Something' when I heard a song called 'its Hard out there to be a Pimp' won best Oscar music.

Cant rate the film above 6 but don't be put off. its a lot better than some of the American garbage dished out recently.

The most underrated British film of all time

[mrbains-42834 · 10/10 · 14 March 2021]

Although far from being a box office hit, Pimp has shown a side of London that films such as Bridget Jones Diary dare not show. With a host of interesting characters and dark, gritty storyline, Pimp may be for an acquired taste, however if you look at this film from an artistic view it is one of the best. A mockumentary filmed on hidden cameras with a low budget, Robert Cavanah has delivered what may be his masterpiece.

A superb soundtrack finishes of a brilliant film.

Vicious plot, tight characterization, intense moments, a pleasure to watch.

[masterly-thorn · 10/10 · 1 June 2010]

Vicious storyline. Check.

Tight plot.Check.

Crazy ride. Check.

Violent and Exploitative movie. Check.

Take a walk into the seedy underworld of Woody the SOHO pimp. Its a dark but fascinating world with its own unique cast of characters. This film is amazing. So different to any of the drivel that you regularly watch on PIMP movies.

The directors and the writers have actually considered the soul of a character. His life. And that characterization made me pay attention. It made me care about the character. It made me root for him.

The characters are RAW, and brilliantly acted. The story is tightly knit and fast paced. The visuals are gorgeous and disturbing. The cinematography style is intelligently considered. Kind of a movie being filmed as a documentary is a breath of fresh air.

The subject matter is totally raw and obscene. It gives us a glimpse of the seedy SOHO underbelly. That's what makes it so fascinating to watch...

If you're thinking about watching it. WATCH IT. It will shock, amuse and entertain in equal parts.

This is 10/10 stars for me.