Glorifies Drug Use

Rating: 5/10 (21 July 2014)

I could not identify with the "world" in this film. Perhaps if one had issues with substance abuse there would be a way to relate to all the sordid events depicted. I also feel that parts of this film glorified drug use and the whole druggie environment – as in take drugs, life becomes simple and you don't have to care about anyone anymore – all problems are solved. The film has them giddily robbing people of their possessions – but a lot of addicts also sell their bodies (maybe several times a day) to get their drug money. This issue is not breached at all in film. It's a lot more cinematic and playful to show junkies stealing and running than to show them soliciting strangers to have anonymous sex.
Actually this film was somewhat amoral – and the longer it went on the more tiresome it became (how many times does one need to see someone injecting heroin into his veins?). The film becomes repetitive.
I found the characters bland and that of Robert Carlyle simply stupid and psychotic – as in here we go again with another violent scene with fists and beer glasses flying. As the film dragged on and on, I found myself caring less and less about these guys and their sorry little lives. I do give some credit to the director for instilling a certain rhythm to this film which almost made me watch it to the end.