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Tag: Ben Drew

  • The Sweeney: Movie Review

    The Sweeney: Movie Review

    TheSweeneyBased on the Thames Television series of the seventies, The Sweeney follows the Flying Squad, a branch of the London Met Police force who investigate armed robberies. Add a dash of cockney rhyming slang to flying squad, you get Sweeney Todd, you get the drift.

    The 2012 reinvention sees Ray Winston (last seen as a dwarf in Snow White and the Huntsman) in the role of Inspector Jack Regan, while Ben ‘Plan B’ Drew is his ever loyal sidekick George Carter, who seems to have been rescued from a life of crime by Regan. While the ‘Sweeney’ get the job done, they don’t always go by the rules of the law and Carter’s past gives him an insight into how the bad guys work.

    The unit is threatened with closure by Lewis (Steven Mackintosh), whose wife Regan also happens to work with and oh, is having an affair with. The Regan character seems set in his ways, he knows how to do his job and doesn’t particularly like being told what to do. So, when the awful realisation occurs that he may have the wrong man, it’s a bitter pill.

    Directed by Nick Love (The Firm) who also co wrote the screenplay with John Hodge (Shallow Grave / Trainspotting), The Sweeney is dirty, gritty and real and is a refreshing change from the CSI stylings of many US counterparts. It also gives a great look at the family nature and camaraderie of the unit. The Sweeney beautifully uses London as it’s setting, it’s not just another location. Scenes of gun fights are excellently written into buildings and well known areas of the city.

    Ben Drew keeps growing in stature as an actor and ‘Carter’ is easily the most accessible character here. Winston plays the loner/womaniser ‘Regan’ well but his stony exterior is tough to crack and is a little hard to warm to. You want the team to succeed but knowing Regan isn’t always the good guy makes Carter the guy you want to come out clean rather than Regan not get caught.

    Your scribe can’t remember the original, now cult TV show, so there are no references. But this isn’t a remake. It’s a reinvention of an idea brought up to date with modern days ideas and scenarios. Great fight scenes, great car chases (you may have seen Top Gear help with the filming of one) and a great script moves the story on nicely. An enjoyable 112 minutes which leaves the door open for a sequel. I dare you not to leave the movie theatre speaking in a cockney accent for the rest of the day.

  • iLL Manors: Movie Review

    iLL Manors: Movie Review

    iLL Manors is the debut directorial feature length from Ben Drew, better known to the masses as Plan B. The film tells the story of an East London area where drug use and the criminal underworld live hand in hand.

    As it stands, the film features some great editing and cinematography and for a first time director, Ben Drew does an amazing job. He, of course, uses his musical background in the soundtrack. The in your face title track ‘iLL Manors’ doesn’t make it til the end credits but the rest of the musical accompaniment isn’t there for the sake of it. It cleverly acts as ‘The Narrator’ moving the story along.

    There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this film. It’s just there needs to be a bit more punch to it. If you’re looking at this genre, the banlieu films of France like La Haine and even Noel Clarke’s Kidulthood and Adulthood or Totsi, based in South Africa, have excelled already, leaving iLL Manors open to comparisons.

    With these films, the viewer gains an empathy for the characters, even if we don’t particularly like them. With iLL Manors, the film meanders through several events which depict the surburb brilliantly, showing us the outside characters’ back stories. Drew tips an area here that many other film makers haven’t touched but the downside of all this is that we don’t connect with those who end up as our main characters. It’s not until later when Aaron (Riz Ahmed) shows some redeeming features that we connect with the character.

    Saying that though, iLL Manors is a fine debut and is well worth a watch. Within the photography and editing, Drew has come up with some really clever ideas. Now that he has his first feature out of the way, your scribe is looking forward to the next visual adventure from Plan B.

  • Tune of The Week 22/03/2012: Plan B

    plan_b_ill_manorsI honestly can’t remember the last time I pre-ordered a single on iTunes, I’m not sure I ever have. Last night at 23.03, I got an email reminder that my preorder was now available to download. I’ve been playing this all week on YouTube and played it from YouTube on DCUfm last night.

    This new track from Plan B is the cleverest amalgamation of music and words I have heard in a lot time. The rawness of the vocals, the pops of the plosives on the mic, make this so real. Yes, it’s a social commentary and there are some who will take the words out of context and Ben Drew probably will get the blame and be told he’s inciting riots himself. Cop on and read his words. Some one needs to hold a mirror up to society. I’m also looking forward to the film. It looks set to continue the gritty London we have previously seen in Noel Clarke‘s films. You have to respect someone who has gotten off his ass and got two separate careers, one in music and one in film off the ground. Hat’s off to Mr Drew!

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