Man Dancin' (2003)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Norman Stone

Writers:

Sergio Casci (screenplay)
Norman Stone (story)

Release Date:

20 February 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Cast

Alex Ferns	...	Jimmy Kerrigan
Tom Georgeson	...	Father Gabriel Flynn
Kenneth Cranham	...	D.I. Pancho Villers
James Cosmo	...	Donnie McGlone
Jenny Foulds	...	Maria Gallagher
Gerald Lepkowski	...	Lenny Quinn
Ron Donachie	...	Billy Maddison
Cas Harkins	...	Terry Kerrigan
Tam White	...	Johnny Bus-Stop
Stewart Porter	...	Flex
Sarah Finch	...	Elizabeth Black
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Bryce	...	Sebastian
Margaret Macrae	...	Woman In Street (as Margaret McRae)
Stewart Macrae	...	Man In Neck Brace (as Stewart McRae)
Gavin Mitchell	...	Des

Runtime:

UK:113 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Company:

1 A Productions

Not a classic, but still an enjoyable British gangster flick

STAR RATING: ***** The Works **** Just Misses the Mark *** That Little Bit In Between ** Lagging Behind * The Pits

Just released from prison, Jimmy Kerrigan (Alex Ferns) wants to stick to the terms of his parole and stay out of trouble. But no sooner has he arrived back at his front door than his typically erstwhile younger brother Terry (Cas Harkins) is being hounded by a couple of local drug dealers who are unhappy he's been operating on their patch and Jimmy is left to take a beating for him. Also, his mother's at death's door, he's struggling to find work and he's being hounded by an uncompromising local gang boss (James Cosmo) and a persistent copper (Kenneth Cranham) who are both convinced he'll go back to his old ways. The only one who sees any hope for him is the local priest (Tom Georgeson) who gives Jimmy a part in a church play. This small act of kindness comes to be something Jimmy really throws himself into and uses as a lynchpin to turn his life around. But this new-found happiness cannot last forever and it's only a matter of time before Jimmy is dragged kicking and screaming back into the life he'd vowed to leave behind.

You'll certainly see worse 'gangster trying to go straight' flicks than Man Dancin'. It's comedic where it needs to be, touching where it needs to be and brutally hard where it needs to be. In his first notable role since leaving East Enders, Ferns provides a good, solid leading role who handles his material well, and he has good support in the shape of Cranham (the best of them), Harkins, Cosmo and so.

It loses it's way a little at the end and becomes a little rambling and incoherent but, like I said, you'll see far worse. ***