Main Cast: Sean Bean, Alex Kingston, Charlie Creed-Miles, Tom Wilkinson, Larry Lamb
Release Year: 2000
Country: UK
Run Time: 102 minutes
Plot
Terry Winsor directs this two-fisted tale of drug, guns, and murder based on a real-life gangland killing that left three dead in the snowy Essex backcountry. The film opens with cabby neophyte Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles) getting hired by suave drug baron John Dyke (Tom Wilkinson) to shuttle around recent ex-con Jason Locke (Sean Bean). Locke is a disaster waiting to happen; half-psychotic with a volcanic temper, he kills and disfigures without a second thought. Yet he takes a shine to his young driver and soon starts including him on his nefarious errands. Meanwhile, Locke arranges for his wife Lisa (Alex Kingston of ER fame) to call in a favor from Dyke and has the kingpin procure a shipment of ecstasy. Unfortunately, the E proves to be bad, hospitalizing scores of ravers and almost killing Locke. With his street rep trashed, the sociopath vows bloody revenge on his former partner, while Dyke and his lover Lisa plot Locke's demise. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Richard Whelan - First Assistant Director, Terry Winsor - Director, Edward Mansell - Editor, Pippa Cross - Executive Producer, Colin Towns - Composer (Music Score), Chris Edwards - Production Designer, John Daly - Cinematographer, Jeff Pope - Producer, Ian Voigt - Sound/Sound Designer, Gareth Milne - Stunts Coordinator, Jeff Pope - Screenwriter, Terry Winsor - Screenwriter
The film is based loosely around events in December 1995 that culminated in the murders of three top drug barons in Rettendon, Essex, UK. On 6 December, Patrick Tate, Craig Rolfe and Tony Tucker, three drug dealers well known to the police, were lured to Workhouse Lane, Rettendon. There they were blasted to death with a shotgun in the head while sitting in their Range Rover. They had been lured to their deaths on the pretext of a lucrative drug deal. The bodies of Tate, 37, Rolfe, 26 and Tucker, 38, were found the following morning, 7 December 1995.
Two men, Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, were convicted of the offence after police informer Darren Nicholls gave evidence against his former friends at their Old Bailey trial. They have always protested their innocence.
Reception
The film met with generally negative critical reviews, e.g. maintaining a 17% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The viewer ratings, however, have generally been more positive.
