Once Upon A Time In The Midlands
After making a fool of himself on national TV by proposing to his girlfriend Shirley (Shirley Henderson) and being turned down, Dek (Rhys Ifans) doesn’t think things could get any worse.
How wrong he is.
Shirley’s ex-boyfriend Jimmy (Robert Carlyle), the father of her daughter Marlene (Finn Atkins), takes the public refusal as his cue and returns from Glasgow with one thing on his mind — winning back his family.
Paying homage to the classic western tale of the bad guy riding into town and causing mayhem, the cowboy references come thick and fast.
There’s a standoff in the local saloon, a shoot-out at high noon, and the film’s hero, Dek, has his trusty steed — a souped-up Ford Sierra.
The performances of the main charactersmakes this one stand out from the crowd.
Finn Atkins steals the show with her portrayal of a 12-year-old torn between her real father and the man who loves her like a father. Ifans’ cowardly hero is one of his best roles for years.
Robert Carlyle, Kathy Burke and Ricky Tomlinson provide the necessary support and comic relief.
Comedy, 15, ***
