Essex Boys (Widescreen)

Sean Bean (Sharpe, Extremely Dangerous, Bravo Two Zero, The Fifteen Streets, Golden Eye), donning a cockney-flavoured Essex accent, is simply superb as the jealous, arrogant, mean-spirited, foul-mouthed Jason Locke, a drug-dealing thug who's just been released from prison (and who thinks he's God's gift to women). He's one of those chaps, the girth of whose vocabulary is such that he'd easily be rendered speechless were he required to utter so much as one sentence without lacing it liberally with the "F" word. There is not much at all to like about Locke. He treats women like dirt and has little more respect for his colleagues.

Those used to seeing Bean as an action hero will no doubt enjoy (if that is the right word!) seeing him in such a nasty role. He is known for really internalizing his roles and becoming the character he's portraying; indeed, it's almost disturbing to see him here, for he simply exudes foulness.

The film co-stars Alex Kingston (Moll Flanders) as Locke's feisty, shrewd, ambitious wife, Lisa. Kingston is a very capable actress who is well-paired with Bean in this film. Another familiar face is Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty), who is wonderful as drug middle-man John Dyke.

This is a gritty, violent film that doesn't hold back any punches in its depiction of the drug underworld. It's a good story with a very satisfying ending. It's a first-rate production and is consumately acted by all involved. Recommended to fans of the "gangster" film genre and to fans of Sean Bean.

First,the facts.In 1995,the bodies of three men,Pat Tait,Tony Tucker and Colin Rolfe,were found in a Range Rover near the small Essex village of Rettendon.They were suspected Ecstasy dealers,but to this day,no-one knows what happened.Essex Boys is a fictional reconstruction of that incident,but doesn't pass itself off as fact.

The film follows Sean Bean,as Jason Locke,returning from prison to repay debts and ease himself into Southend's lucrative Ecstasy trade.He hires Billy (Charlie Creed-Miles) to drive for him,and Locke's rise and bloody fall are charted through Billy's eyes.

The acting is superb.Bean is frighteningly intense,Creed-Miles is likably naive as Billy and Tom Wilkinson plays a suitably oily John Dyke.Only Alex Kingston comes across as weak,although this is due to the limits of her character.

The film does drag in places,and the ending could have been better thought out,but these problems don't detract from the film as a whole.The main problem,certainly for American audiences,would be with the thick Essex accents.However,much like Scarface,the majority of the dialogue revolves around the word 'f**k' so most people will catch up without a problem.

Bean previously worked with the makers,Terry Winsor and Jeff Pope,on the equally excellent 'Fools Gold',in 1993 and Essex Boys is a good companion.Especially as Bean's character in the earlier film,Mickey MacAvoy,was linked to the 'Rettendon 3' through a gangster called Kenny Noye.Funny,the coincidences you find in the English underworld.

Violent,unsympathetic,dark and intense,Essex Boys is not for the squemish,or those looking for an uplifting experience.Ladies who are used to Bean as the dashing Sharpe will be in for a shock as the mysogenistic Locke is far from the romantic hero they may be used to.For fans of British gangster films,however,it's a must.

Trivia Quiz Question:Billy's character was nicknamed Billy Whizz.Why?