WFG RATING: B

Blue Eyes Films and Pink Flamingo Films present a Fugitive Films production in association with 1185 Films. Directed by Ray Burdis. Produced by Steve Beckett and Michael Head. Written by Ray Burdis and Michael Head. Cinematography by Ali Asad. Edited by Frederik Limi.

Starring Charlie Clapham, Daniel O’Reilly, Martin Kemp, Michelle Collins, Vas Blackwood, Michael Head, Rohit Emmanuel, Patsy Kensit, and John Hannah.

A former wannabe gangster turns to a new career with hilarious results in this British comedy from director Ray Burdis.

Since his childhood, Jack has always wanted to be a gangster. However, even since then, he has had trouble dealing with his best friend Danny as he always got Jack into some sort of trouble. Despite the fact that Jack’s other friend Marmite tries to be the good conscience, Danny’s bad influence causes Jack to change things up after accidentally blowing half a high street.

After a failed career at boxing, Jack decides to try acting and it proves to be the right move. After his training, he ends up on a soap opera for five years. Meanwhile, Danny has become a high member of a local gangster organization along with Marmite. Led by Don and Sadie, Jack is welcomed even if he has no intention of joining them. When Jack is finally given his first feature film in a gangster role, he asks to shadow Danny to prepare for the role and it will be an experience he will never forget. 

With a running time of only 80 minutes, this is one dark comedy that starts out very funny and has some great moments. There are little specks of the dark tone for most of the film while keeping the comedy. However, the final 15 to 20 minutes go from comic to dark. However, when it is funny, it is pretty funny thanks in part notably to both John Hannah and Vas Blackwood, who respectively play the pirated gang member Mem and wheelchair-bound crime boss Mus. when you see Mem’s backstory, it’s probably the funniest scene of the whole film as it had me laughing hard. 

However, the focus of the film is the character of Jack, played in both narrative and visuals by Charlie Clapham. The first few minutes focuses on his childhood, where he and troublesome BFF Danny get in trouble with Daniel being the “devil” of the shoulder with their mutual Marmite (yes, that’s his name) being the “angel” of the other shoulder when it comes to Jack. As the adult versions, Daniel O’Reilly and Perry Benson respectively channel that energy into their roles and when Danny agrees to let Jack “shadow” the family to prepare for a film role, you know the inevitable is bound to happen.

Martin Kemp brings some benevolence in his role of Danny’s boss Don while Michelle Collins’ Sadie seems to be the one really wearing the pants of the group. And when Don’s boss is revealed, its clear why she tends to keep Don grounded when needed. There are also mentions of LGBTQ in the film, and there is in fact such a character in the form of  a drag queen who is loyal to Mus and yet has a thing for Jack because of his TV role. Michael Head’s Ray is the hot-headed member of Don’s group who we see constantly berate someone owing him money and makes threats in such an unbelievable manner. Finally, Patsy Kensit makes the most of her screen time as Crassus, the hard-headed, very cocky lawyer for Don’s organization. She goes from sympathetic to ruthless without skipping a beat. 

As mentioned, the final 15 to 20 minutes goes dark when Jack inadvertently starts a war between Don and Mus’ factions. It goes quite insane and leads to a twist that starts out pretty funny but soon goes grim.

A Gangster’s Kiss is a wild dark comedy that serves as both a “moral compass” for the lead character to a hilarious look at the world of gangsters. There are some funny moments, but once it goes grim, it doesn’t hold back.