Top Dog

I am French and this kind of films are not even released in DVD in Paris, but I crave for them, good or not. This is a typical British crime drama flick, emphasizing on the UK culture or hooligans and hoodlums, with the right atmosphere. And the crime movie code is respected, crime movie in general, from UK or not from UK. I am amazed by this ordinary family man, with a pretty house, a kid and a wife, who is also a fierce football hooligan club leader. A man who rapidly happens to be involved with gangsters who take money by force from some folks he particularly love: a couple of pub owners. OK, you have nothing exceptional here, but every crime film can not be HEAT...I love this simple but so dark, bleak and downbeat tale. The lead character maybe not the best choice, but he is convincing although. The best choice may be Vincent Reagan as the lead gangster, the kingpin, so impressive. I am lucky to possess so many UK gangsters films in my huge pile of DVD to be seen soon.I hope to find here many gems like this one.

I liked green street so I saw this movie while scrolling through netflix. I decided to download it to watch on the plane and it was decent to pass time.

Straight off, I'm not a huge fan of the genre. I find the Mockney accents and the incessant "Geez" muttered from the edge of a sneer, a bit cringeworthy. I don't generally find it possible to believe in the characters and be taken away from the thought that they're all RADA trained actors that call each other darling when the cameras are off (Big exception to that is Tom Hardy of course!).

So I watched this film not expecting much and wasn't disappointed.

The overall story was extremely predictable, I was never at the edge of my seat. I thought it was poorly directed in so much that it didn't build tension, it didn't develop the characters to create any empathy with any of them and more importantly, when our lead has reached his crux moment we were treated to a flashback montage that wouldn't have looked out of place in a 1980s episode of Neighbours.

The acting was average overall. The best friend's wife clearly used Waynetta Slob as her inspiration (although at least her accent sounded more authentic than others).

The lead actor needed to shave and punch the make-up artist who apparently hasn't worked in Hi-Def before.

Vincent Regan was the most believable in my eyes, always a pleasure to watch. He stole every scene although that wasn't exactly the Brink's Mat Heist. Ricci Harnett is OK but better as a henchman than a boss. Jason Flemyng must have been too busy working on good projects for a real part in this film. Shame, because he's a fantastic actor.

To summarise, don't bother watching it. You already know what happens or will quickly get to the point where you don't care.

Watch the Offender instead.

I rather like a decent hooligan film....

This however was not any shade of decent..

Only watched this as Green Strret wasn't the worst football hooligan film

(not as good as ID and rise of the foot soldier anyway).

But this was poor on every aspect from the acting, storyline and even the fight sequences were unrealistically shown.

It will take a sensational film to bring me back round from avoiding Martin Kemp directed films.

Terrible.!

Wait for it to be on TV ,

it really is not worth money nor data.

Review: This is yet another typical English East End movie about a football hooligan who uses his firm to take down a underground firm. Once he finds out that he has bitten off more than he can chew, he has gone way too far and his whole world comes crumbling down around him. I was expecting something original from the director, Martin Kemp, who is famous for starring in the Krays, but it just turns out to be an average cockney movie which we have seen many times before. As usual, we have your graphic hooligan violence with loads of swearing but the director did try and give the movie some depth by making the main character have an successful business and a loving family. In all, it's not that original but it's watchable! Average!

Round-Up: Leo Gregory seems to act the same in all his movies, so it wasn't that surprising to see him playing this role. It's the same for all of the characters, like Vincent Reagan who always plays an convincing tough nut and a joy to watch. My main problem with the film is that it's quite predictable, even though the ending tried to twist the plot to make it interesting.

I recommend this movie to people who are into there typical English East End gangster movies about a football hooligan taking on an underground mob. 3/10