The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureCinemaMovie reviews

The Guvnors

The Guvnors | Movie review
1 August 2014
Donna Mackay
Avatar
Donna Mackay
1 August 2014

Movie and show review

Donna Mackay

The Guvnors

★★★★★

Release date

22nd August 2014

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

The Guvnors is a modern take on the classic London gangland thriller, albeit with an indie edge. Directed by Gabe Turner (The Class of ’92) and re-purposing this erring-on-overused genre, The Guvnors combines the history of football hooliganism with modern estate war. In his big screen debut, Harley Sylvester of British hip-hop duo Rizzle Kicks stars as Adam Shankley – estate-nurtured, love-starved, and knife-wielding. Sylvester is utterly convincing and perfectly terrifying as a bloodthirsty and ferocious petty criminal, with aspirations of gangland fame.

BvYYlwDCEAAFaSf (1)

 

Doug Allen is reformed and ageing hooligan Mitch, previously renowned as leader of a mob christened “The Guvnors”. After suffering humiliation at the hands of their OAP mentor, Shankley seeks out this crowd of now retired, but still ready-for-action old timers to really show them who’s boss. As a side-line we get an insight into Mitch’s now placid family life, reformed, middle class and now only briefcase-wielding, his biggest task is keeping his teenage son in line. When Mitch’s mentor is killed by Adam’s gang in an act of retribution, The Guvnors leap back into action with a youthful spring in their step to reclaim their crowns, along with the estate they previously ruled. Sylvester in unrecognisable on the big screen, his rhythmic form of communication and consistently menacing demeanour with added layer of London estate swag are a far cry from the bouncing demeanour we previously saw dancing on screen with Olly Murs. It’s a stunning break out performance.

The Guvnors comes to a head with the old-heavies facing off against the wily upstarts on this shared homeland turf in an completely unrealistic, yet still shocking brutal war. At times The Guvnors slips into a less glamorous version of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet, with fantastical twists and incredulous turns, bringing the main characters lives’ colliding and intertwining with a bang. Scripting is savvy, dialogue is convincing and there are more than a few laugh-out-loud moments to counterbalance the steely momentum of the storyline. The Guvnors is an incredible showcase of British talent: it’s brutal, violent and almost actively endorsing these modern lives of terror as the characters show no signs of retribution. That said, this film knows its target market and knows it well – if you’re a lad that loves films of the Lock, Stock ilk, then this one is for you.

★★★★★

Donna Mackay

The Guvnors is released nationwide on 22nd August 2014.

Watch the trailer for The Guvnors here:

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Related Itemsthe guvnors

More in Movie reviews

Imperial Blue

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More

MLK/FBI

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Sing Me a Song

★★★★★
Abbie Grundy
Read More

A Night of Horror: Nightmare Radio

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Wonder Woman 1984

★★★★★
Jake Cudsi
Read More

Come Away

★★★★★
Sylvia Unerman
Read More

Murder Me, Monster

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

David Byrne’s American Utopia

★★★★★
Rosamund Kelby
Read More

Dreamland

★★★★★
Guy Lambert
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Donna Mackay

The Guvnors

★★★★★

Release date

22nd August 2014

Links

TwitterFacebookWebsite

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • You Me at Six – Suckapunch
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Outside the Wire
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • An interview with Ifrah Ismael: Tales from the Front Line and other stories
    Theatre
  • Sleaford Mods – Spare Ribs
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Female filmmakers lead nominees for the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards
    Cinema
  • Persian Lessons: Exclusive new clip
    Cinema
  • Jeremiah Fraites: Piano Piano
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Quo Vadis, Aida?
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Lonely the Brave – The Hope List
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Ten short literary collections to get you back into reading
    Literature
  • Mayor
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Edges at the Tabard | Theatre review
Deliver Us from Evil | Movie review