1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Cat and Mouse British Crime Thriller with a Slow Burn, August 19, 2011
If you're looking for a British crime flick that packs the punch of Snatch or Lock Stock, Sugarhouse may not be what you want. It burns slow, has an extremely lean plot, and uses a skeleton crew of actors. But what it lacks in fast pacing, it makes up for in acting, tension, and plot twists.
Sugarhouse follows the story of a middle-class Brit who attempts to make a mysterious purchase from a paranoid crackhead. But as the deal progresses, a violent and tatted-up local drug dealer ends up in the mix only to complicate things further. What ensues is a cat-and-mouse game with a dangerous conclusion.
The good news about Sugarhouse is that it always maintains a gritty feel, even when it plods along. The cinematography is good, and the cast does a solid job. Andy Serkis does such a convincing job as a thugged-out coke dealer that I hardly realized it was the same actor from the Lord of the Rings. Ashley Walters also does a spot-on performance as a crackhead with personal demons that go beyond drug addiction.
What surprised me the most was that as the film progresses, the characters gain more depth. By the movie's end, revelations are made which offer a different perspective on the characters involved.
My biggest complaint about the film is that it tends to drag on. There's a bit too much dialogue, and the movie just seems to plod along with only a few brief interjections of violence. It felt as though the entire film could have been stuffed into a one-hour TV show with better effect.
As a fan of foreign crime thrillers, I thought Sugarhouse was definitely worth the rental. While it lacks the spark, witty dialogue and action of a Guy Ritchie flick, I still found it enjoyable. Definitely gives this one a watch before you consider buying the DVD.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
much ado about nothing, November 8, 2009
This was like a poor man's imitation of a Guy Ritchie film. It shows British men, of many ethnicities, fighting each other and engaging in illegal activities. In fairness, if you keep watching, the static characters end up having dynamic backgrounds. Still, this movie could have fit into a sitcom's time, rather than being the normal film length. It was dull in so many ways.
The one good thing was Andy Serkis. As soon as you see him, you see his powerful, Herculean backside and they don't just show it once. If you have been saddened that Michael Chiklis have never filmed in the raw, Mr. Serkis is a good substitute. His tattoos may distract, but he's your man if you like burly, beefy types.
For all I know, this may have been imitation "Reservoir Dogs" too. If you like machismo and bloodshed, then you will like this genre. Still, there is something about this film that is just sub-standard.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crazy Movie, September 24, 2011
I was interested in Andy Serkis movies after Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Thus, Sugarhouse. I received my order within four days of purchasing and I think the movie was pretty good. The main characters all took their parts and ran with them. I've recommended it to friends.
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