Caine shines in well acted comedy

The Actors gives Michael Caine a rare opportunity to display his considerable comic talents.

He plays Tony O’Malley, a struggling veteran actor who, having failed to convince the powers that be to let him stage his own rather unusual version of Hamlet, hatches a far-fetched scheme to make his fortune.

Local baddie Barreller (Michael Gambon) owes money to a big-time gangster in London and O’Malley persuades small-time actor Tom (Dylan Moran) to put on the performance of a lifetime in order to con the two bad guys out of the cash.

Needless to say things don’t go according to plan.

Tom starts to fall in love with Barreller’s daughter Dolores (Lena Headey) and when some heavies from London start throwing their weight around the actors don more disguises to try and get themselves out of trouble.

The Actors isn’t the kind of film that will live long in the memory, but it’s not meant to be. It’s just a good laugh.

Comedy, 15. **