At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

What a terrific crime movie this one and not in the line of so many other films that we see since nearly twenty years now, such as the Guy Ritchie's features: SNATCH and so many GOOD FELLAS look like movies, with plenty of humour. No, I would say that I was happily surprised by this brutal and very old vintage crime flick, as I crave for, especially from UK. Yes folks, an old vintage, that's the best word to describe it. The characters study and description is flawless, even if the criminal schemes code is rather foreseeable, but I don't care at all. I highly prefer this rise and fall topic to the todays productions, so complicated, so sophisticated. Those films which all look the same. I had the feeling to watch a movie from the seventies or the eighties. I thought of GET CARTER, for instance, or the KRAYS story.I will look for some other good UK crime stuff in the future.

As a Glaswegian, I was certainly aware of the real-life main criminal characters in this film without knowing all the ins and outs of who did what to whom, when and why. I largely looked in vain however for actual Glasgow locations, although the notes here tell me that's because the local police refused cooperation, which isn't hard to understand, watching the film.The film itself is a tough, often violent look at turf wars in Glasgow and in particular the rival bosses fighting it out for control and centres on Paul Ferris, a very well known character in these parts. It tells his story using childhood flashbacks to demonstrate the influence of his old-fashioned tough-love father, his friendship with two childhood buddies, whose fates at the end of the film help convince Ferris to go straight at last and of course his introduction to violence amongst both police and thieves which helped lead him on his criminal path.The story itself of a gangster's rise and fall isn't original and doesn't really aim for any great dynamism or originality in the direction either. Its striving for realism is limited by the afore-mentioned substitution for Glasgow by London, the noticeable (but not unwelcome) tempering of the way brutal beatings-up and shootings are depicted, plus the character acting in the cast isn't completely consistent. Martin Compston is slightly restricted in his portrayal of the titular character Paul Ferris by his baby-face demeanour but otherwise carries off a tricky, if clichéd part with plenty of conviction. John Hannah as a scheming would-be kingpin and Denis Lawson as Ferris's father lend experience to their parts and probably stand out accordingly from the rest of the cast.One could argue that the film is skewered too much in favour of Ferris's viewpoint and indeed the criminal lifestyle and modus-operandi altogether with the police and prison officials invariably shown as corrupt, barbaric and above the law they supposedly serve. Nevertheless the story, though hindered by the intrusive insertions of flashbacks to young Paul, in a failed attempt to demonstrate the child being father to the man, has a kinetic energy which keeps you watching until the bitter end.Not an easy watch or even a great watch, but otherwise a good attempt at a contemporary true-crime story.

As a Glaswegian I had high hopes for this film but was left bitterly disappointed. The acting and direction of the film was pretty poor throughout. Arthur Thompson sounds Irish through the whole film, probably because he was played by an Irish actor, which leaves you asking, why cast an Irish actor that can't do a Scottish accent as Glasgow's godfather? A lot of the other actors attempts at Glaswegian accents were awful as well. I understand we have a distinct way of talking which is not only hard to portray but hard for others to understand, but that takes the authenticity out of the film. Parts of the film are cheesy and I was left cringing at times, especially the parts about the child ferris. Mostly I was just disappointed because it's such great story and the film just doesn't do it justice. I would love to see a high budget remake with better actors. I genuinely think if that was made it would be gangster classic.

A film about infamous Glasgow gangster Paul Ferris, has long been in the pipeline. I remember hearing rumours off Robert Carlyle playing the part many years ago, and that would off been awesome! Now they've finally got round too making this controversial offering, you'd be hard pushed too find anyone better in the role than the largely unknown Martin Compston. Who does a great job here. Problem is a lot off the rest off the stars seem completely miscast in their roles, and a lot off this 80's/90's set story has clearly been filmed in the present day, with not much effort into making it look like otherwise.There's no doubt that there is a great story here, and I did enjoy the movie because off its complicated, based-on-true-events style plot. But for a film in development for so long, you'd think there would be more success in other parts off its production.John Hannah is only in the movie so people who are only interested in well known actors may watch it. Same with Patrick Bergin, Who doesn't pull off a Scottish accent. Its hard too know how much off the story is true as well, what with it being told from the perspective off Ferris (and being based on his book) with the parts that try too make him look as innocent as possible/try to make you sympathise with him falling flat, when you know a lot off the bad things that happened in the real life events that encouraged this movie, have been conveniently cut out.