Best Laid Plans (2012)

David Blair directs this powerful British Drama, loosely inspired by John Steinbeck's novel 'Of Mice and Men'. Set in Nottingham, the film revolves around the relationship between the ... See full summary »

Director:

David Blair

Writers:

Chris Green (screenplay), Jeremy Sheldon (additional material)

Stars:

Lee Ingleby, Stephen Graham, David O'Hara

2 wins.

Cast

Credited cast:
Lee Ingleby	...	Deano
Stephen Graham	...	Danny
David O'Hara	...	Curtis
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje	...	Joseph
Maxine Peake	...	Isabel
Peter Wight	...	Roger
Emma Stansfield	...	Lisa
Stuart Wolfenden	...	Pete
Brad Moore	...	Jon
Robert Shannon	...	Kane
Kieran Hardcastle	...	Hoody
Mark Strange	...	Vinny
Robert Stone	...	Doyle
Ryan Barr
Sarah Parks	...	Marriane

Storyline

David Blair directs this powerful British Drama, loosely inspired by John Steinbeck's novel 'Of Mice and Men'. Set in Nottingham, the film revolves around the relationship between the thuggish Danny (Stephen Graham) and Joseph (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a giant of a man with a mental age of seven. When Danny finds himself in debt to a local crime boss, he feels he is left with no choice but to manipulate Joseph into participating in a series of underground cage fights from which Danny can pay his debts. However, as the fights become harder and Danny and Joesph fall for two beautiful women, Danny starts to question his own motives. Ultimately, this is a story of love and friendship and how far you would go for a friend.

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Plot Keywords:

debt | friendship | british | bullying | man crying | 

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Taglines:

Some Friendships are worth fighting for

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 2012 (UK)

Also Known As:

Best plans

Filming Locations:

The Bath Inn, 1 Handel Street, Sneinton, Nottingham, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

MoliFilms,Made Up North Productions,AV Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

Bad Boy In Dirty Jeans
Written by Jamie Robertson, Kieran O'Brian
Performed by Jakil
Copyright, all rights reserved. Jakil 2011

User Reviews

Rather uncomfortable viewing, but well written enough to be above average

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

Danny (Stephen Graham) is a scally low life in debt to big time gangster Curtis (David O' Hara) who is threatening to hurt his mentally impaired friend Joseph (Adowayle Agogoboyo Agabala) if he doesn't repay the debt soon. Danny sees no other way out, but to get Josepth to fight in illegal underground cage matches, which he does. But as he delivers more and more, the stakes get raised higher and higher, until Danny is forced to try and find a way out.

Best Laid Plans is a curious effort, that starts by setting itself up one way and from the way it opens, seems to employ a different style to what you were expecting. But, while it ultimately manages to be an effective drama thriller, it remains a film that is unsure of it's tone and style and where it wants to go with itself.

One theme it does settle on and seems to want to stick with through out, is the theme of disability and people with mental impairment problems, which leads to some uneasy and challenging viewing through out, as Joseph develops a romance with a fellow impaired person called Isabel (Maxine Peake), coming up against various trials and tribulations because of it. It's a surprising and daring theme to want to stick in a tale like this, and it doesn't help how morally reprehensible the lead character emerges, using his so called friend to fight in cage matches so he can pay off his grubby little debt to some gangster, while developing a relationship with call girl Lisa (Emma Stansfield) that takes an unconvincing turn at the end.

The film aims to be a simple 'down on his luck ne'er do well trying to get out of bother' tale, that ends up being a dark look in to how callous and predatory human instincts can be. For all this, it remains a fairly well written, ambitious film with some reliably steely lead performances from the two lead stars. It's dogged determination to make the viewer feel a bit uncomfortable really is a blessing and a curse for it, though. ***