Search - The Business on DVD

One of Nick Love's best films to date

Ian Phillips | Bolton, Lancashire, UK | 08/19/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Following on from the excellent "Football Factory", the incredible Nick Love delivered what is still one of his very, very best films to date: "The Business". And what a film!

The story is set in the 1980's, a decade that was described as the "era of greed". Young adult Frankie (Danny Dyer) begins a brand new life in sunny, glorious Malaga, after killing his mothers violent, abusive partner back home in South London. Once in Malaga, Frankie befriends ex-con Charlie (Tamer Hassan). Charlie introduces Frankie to a whole new exciting world of wealth, but with severe consequences. Unbeknown to Frankie at first, the lavish lifestyle led by Charlie is soon revealed to be a front for a world of violent, organised crime. Seduced by the lavish, luxurious lifestyle, Frankie reluctantly becomes one of Charlies most loyal gang members. Cue lots of excessive cocaine sniffing, gun shoot-out sequences which are all riviting to watch, and lots of usage of the words f***** and c***"! "The Business" is high adrenalin, fast-paced and tough gangster flick.
Danny Dyer rocks in his role as Frankie, being as fantastic as always and possessing an undenaible strong screen presence as does Tamer Hassan as Charlie. Both Danny and Tamer have great chemistry bubbling between the two lead characters, making for a truly dynamic blend. The film cleverly depicts the highs of the world Frankie and Charlie live in and the lows when the money runs out thus ending abruptly the lifestyle to which they'd become accustomed. The story of their friendship and how it is severly put to the test when they lose everything - their money, "empire", pride, dignity - is endlessly entertaining to watch.

Nick Loves sharp, fast and furious direction (which is what we Nick Love fans want and love), rollercoaster dialogue that whips along with savagely funny wit and credible performances all-round (not least by Danny Dyer and Tamer Hassan), this deservedly gets a 5 star rating. One of the best British films in recent times.
Ian Phillips
August 2009
"

Wanna Be, gangsters, actors, director

Daniel G. Lebryk | 06/21/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Ouch, this film is so bad. It's like a bunch of guys got together and said, let's all look really cool, dress up like gangsters, talk tough, run drugs, and make a movie. Ouch it's bad.

Frankie is a young innocent boy that tries to protect his mother from her abusive boyfriend; in the process he kills the boyfriend. Frankie needs to leave London, so a buddy gives him a bag to deliver to Spain - just don't look in the bag, and give it to the *Playboy.* Yikes, at that moment, the playboy was a clue this will be very bad.

Frankie arrives in Spain, delivers the bag and the story proceeds with the worlds worst jump cuts and filming. Charl (the *Playboy*) hires Frankie as his driver. Charl's partner Sammy has the hottest daughter or girl friend (never clear which one it is) in town and is warned to stay away from her. Sammy eventually shows up (let's not forget a bunch of really stupid lame set up bar dance party scenes, with them all dancing away to 80's dance music). He hates Frankie. And the drama begins!!! They run pot from Morocco to Spain. Let's just say, this stinker wanders all over the place, with little or no motivation, stupid lines, and Charl smiling his *ultra-handsome* smile.

The tag line - gangsters in sundrenched Spain - is accurate. Yep there are gangsters. Yep they are in Spain on the beaches. Is it sensual? Nope not for two seconds. Carly is gorgeous, but she ends up around nasty bookends. The movie pretty well focuses on a bunch of these older gangsters and the young Frankie.

Production values are absolutely atrocious. The opening montage, these two guys running down a street with the camera following. They use handheld, and the cameraman is trying to run himself. It's horrible. Pacing is all over the map. Sound is awful, the music is so far over boosted and the dialog is swept way low. Surround channels - none. With all the shooting and explosions, we've come to expect good subwoofer work - not in this film. All flat sound.

The DVD includes deleted scenes and an alternate ending. I chose to leave those two in rest and did not look at them.

Pass on this one. It's really not very good."