Perrier's Bounty (www.the-usher.com)

"I know how to get rid of a body"

Owing a €1000 to a loan shark is never a good thing and for Michael McCrea (Murphy) that money needs to be paid back by the end of the day. With time running out, local gangster Darren Perrier (Gleeson) sends two of his thugs to break two bones of Michael’s choice and that does not include digits but as the beating starts, Michael’s neighbour intervenes and shoots one of the assailants dead. With his dad Jim (Broadbent) offering to help them get out of Belfast and dispose of the body, Perrier issues a bounty on Michael’s head and now they can’t trust anyone.

Gangster movies have become a stalwart of British and Irish cinema over the last few decades but can ‘Perrier’s Bounty’ bring anything new?

The gangster genre has long been a place for a story in British and Irish cinema and mixing the genre with an influx of comedy has produced many a hit in the past. Hits like ‘Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells’, ‘The Italian Job’, ‘Snatch’, ‘Sexy Beast’, ‘RockNRolla’, to name but a few have all mixed violence, crime and a few laughs, enjoying some critical and commercial success. Most of these have taken place in London however, but the streets of Belfast can be just as troublesome as the nations capital.

Director Ian Fitzgibbon and writer Mark O’Rowe have done just that by assembling some quality British and Irish actors to tell a story of crime, murder and death. Leading the line is Cillian Murphy. Fleeting between Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Batman Begins’ and ‘Inception’ and independent cinema, Murphy has the chance again to show what a quality actor he is. As Michael, he is a man struggling to repay a debt but when he tries to escape his commitment, things go dreadfully wrong. This is a role that Murphy can play in his sleep but his presence makes Michael a more believable character. Yorkshire born actress Jodie Whittaker is best known for her appearances in the ‘St. Trinian’s’ remakes but as Brenda she gets the chance to show what she can do. Suicidal after been dubbed by her long time boyfriend, it is Brenda who shots one of Perrier’s thugs dead and brings the bounty onto Michael’s head. The director’s masterstroke is the casting of two seasoned professionals in Jim Broadbent and Brendan Gleeson. Jim Broadbent dons an excellent Irish accent as Michael father Jim. Announcing that he is dying of cancer to Michael, Jim comes into his own after the death of the thug as he has nothing to lose. Brendan Gleeson brings a bit of class to any film he graces and there was not a better choice for Perrier. Funny but mean enough to take seriously, this is a role that Gleeson has fun with.

‘Perrier’s Bounty’ might not have the most original of plots but it is a fun watch all the same. With an excellent ensemble cast, a snappy, well written script, this is a fun movie that might not have the cult following of other comedy gangster movies but it is a good watch all the same.

Trailer
Interview with: Cillian Murphy & Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent & Jodie Whittaker

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2010