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Offender
Directed byRon Scalpello
Written byPaul Van Carter
Produced byPaul Van Carter
Nick Taussig, Stephen Mitchell, Rhys David Thomas
StarringKimberley Nixon
Shaun Dooley
Joe Cole
Tyson Oba
Vas Blackwood
Ruth Gemmell
David Ajala
Doon Mackichan
CinematographyRichard Mott
Edited byJohnny Rayner
Music byChad Hobson
Production
company
Gunslinger Films & Revolver Entertainment. An RDT Co-Production
Distributed byRevolver Entertainment
Release date
  • 8 August 2012 (2012-08-08)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Offender is a 2012 British action film which follows a hard grafting, 20-year-old working-class man, Tommy Nix, who while avoiding getting mixed up in the wrong crowd sees his girlfriend fall victim to a brutal attack.[1] It stars Kimberley Nixon, Joe Cole, Shaun Dooley and Vas Blackwood. It is written by Paul Van Carter and directed by Ron Scalpello.

Cast[edit]

Reception[edit]

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with a 68% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.[2] Empire magazine and Total Film both rated it 3/5, with Empire Magazine stating it was "a solid revenge thriller in which Cole excels"[3] The Guardian gave it one star, stating "the plot and characters are lame and implausible, the dialogue is banal and the acting mediocre".[4] Time Out claimed the film "feels less Scum and more like the back-story of one of Guy Ritchie’s knuckle-headed footsoldiers."[5]

The film received a 4/5 rating from Heat magazine stating "this bloody borstal drama makes quiet political points alongside a powerful revenge storyline" and a 4/5 rating from Sky Movies calling it an "admirably crafted a compelling drama" and likening it to French prison film A Prophet and Alan Clarke's 1979 film Scum.[6]

CineVue presented a 3/5 review for the film, stating that "Scalpello's Offender is far from original" However it presented "enjoyable performances and an entertaining revenge plot."[7]

In general the reviews rate the film for its depiction of characters involved in and affected by the riots. The Londonist states "It’s a surprisingly comprehensive look at the lives of young criminals, in particular their sense of isolation and disenchantment with a corrupt system."[8]

The film gained more positive reviews from urban and music press. Music sites Bring The Noise and MTV have rated the film 8/10[9] and 7/10[10] respectively.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "OFFENDER greenlit for production". casarotto.co.uk. January 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2012.
  2. ^ Offender at Rotten Tomatoes.
  3. ^ Smith, Anna. "Offender Review Empire". Empire Magazine. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  4. ^ Offender - Review - The Guardian, 9 August 2012
  5. ^ Offender - review - Time Out, 9 August 2012
  6. ^ Evans, Tim. "Offender Review". 21st Century Scum. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Film Review: 'Offender' -". 8 August 2012.
  8. ^ Fowler, Ben (14 July 2012). "Offender Review". The Londonist. The Londonist. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  9. ^ Malick, Sherin. "Offender Review". Offender Review Bring The Noise. Bring The Noise. Archived from the original on 6 March 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
  10. ^ O'Neill, Lorenzo. "FILM REVIEW: 'OFFENDER'". MTV. Retrieved 8 August 2012.

External links[edit]

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