When did Ray Winstone become a well known name ? Okay people of my generation were gripped by his breakthrough role in SCUM from 1979 , we knew this guy was going to be massive . Then he disappeared only to get the occasional guest role in something like MINDER and AUF WIEDERSEHEN PET or a supporting role in a continuous series like ROBIN OF SHERWOOD . Nowadays he stars alongside the likes of Mel Gibson , Russell Crowe and Jack Nicolson and I'm just trying to remember if in 2002 he'd be a household name ? 2002 was the year of release of this short film directed by Michael Baig Clifford and 12 years on any feature length movie starring Winstone and Paddy Considine would have absolutely no problem getting a distribution deal in Britain . It seems the rewards for a short film maker like Clifford is merely to say they directed a movie starring two highly regarded British actors
Michael Baig Clifford seems like a lot of British directors been influenced by the great Martin Scorsese with the fractured storyline intercut between the present and past and freeze frame . His characters are foul mouthed and working class and you get impression the director has told the cast " Okay you laugh like Ray Liotta , and you pretend you're a sort of black Joe Pesci " . The acting style seems a bit too similar to a Scorsese film to be entirely coincidental . It might be uncharitable but it's impossible to notice that Winstone is a rather limited actor . This isn't headline news but Winstone is always riveting in this type of role whether he's up against a few jailhouse slags or if he's trying to take over a boat and is always totally convincing in these hardmen roles . BOUNCERS also has a smart ending that I didn't see coming so it's not only the cast that it has in its favour
Michael Baig Clifford seems like a lot of British directors been influenced by the great Martin Scorsese with the fractured storyline intercut between the present and past and freeze frame . His characters are foul mouthed and working class and you get impression the director has told the cast " Okay you laugh like Ray Liotta , and you pretend you're a sort of black Joe Pesci " . The acting style seems a bit too similar to a Scorsese film to be entirely coincidental . It might be uncharitable but it's impossible to notice that Winstone is a rather limited actor . This isn't headline news but Winstone is always riveting in this type of role whether he's up against a few jailhouse slags or if he's trying to take over a boat and is always totally convincing in these hardmen roles . BOUNCERS also has a smart ending that I didn't see coming so it's not only the cast that it has in its favour