Shifty, 2008.
Written and Directed by Eran Creevy.
Starring Riz Ahmed, Daniel Mays, Jason Flemyng, Nitin Ganatra, Jay Simpson, Dannielle Brent and Francesca Annis.
SYNOPSIS:
A young British-Asian man firmly embroiled in the suburban North London drug trade falls foul of various heavy handed locals. An old school friend, plagued by his own unpleasant memories of the city, attempts to put him onto a different track…
A world away from the high octane and glamorous ups and downs regularly seen in Hollywood portrayals of the drug world, Shifty is a distinctly British approach to the subject. Following the trials and tribulations of small-time hood Shifty, (a fantastic film-lifting performance from Riz Ahmed; Four Lions, Ill Manors) the film goes someway to describing the mundanity of local weed ‘n pills pushing.
Kicked out of the familial home for refusing to settle down to a traditional British Muslim way of life, the twenty-something street-smart narcotics entrepreneur lives a shadowy life with his unwitting older brother (Nitin Ganatra; Eastenders). Into this unchanging routine of deals, scores and debts arrives old school friend Chris (Daniel Mays), a relatively respectable IT professional and Manchester resident who has dark memories of the place he left behind.
Adding to the volatile mixture is Glen, (Jason Flemyng) a producer and procurer of high strength chemicals who thinks, to his detriment that he is above the organised drug gangs that roam the provinces of greater London.
In many ways a formulaic drugs and aggravation piece, Shifty is largely notable for the performance of Riz Ahmed, an interesting actor who is already way on his way to becoming a genuine British-Asian movie star.
Bolstered by moments of gallows humour within the grim developments of suburban life. Shifty is also notable for a menacing turn from Jay Simpson as Trevor, a white powder abusing salesman and family man trapped in a cycle of self-loathing.
The segments of the film that work well have a believable semblance of reality at their core; the family tensions and laddish friendship of the two central characters are presented logically and clearly. The film only really loses its grip when it strays into melodrama and ups the ante culminating in a not entirely convincing bloody finale.
Originally released back in 2008, this new release is obviously looking to trade on the growing fame of Ahmed, who has a lot to offer with this showing and will continue to be one to watch.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk is a freelance journalist and film writer.
Originally published October 1, 2012. Updated April 11, 2018.
