Gobshite
By Eliza Walker, Blockbuster.co.uk

When I picked up this film, I had no idea exactly what a gobshite was. Now, after a quick click and flick, thanks to the never ceasing wonders of the internet, I am better informed. It appears that a gobshite is someone who talks utter nonsense; an idiot; a moron. However having said that, don’t be misled. This is not a film about teenage chavs (though the description fits like your best pair of Reeboks), but in fact gangsters. In this particular movie, the gobshite in question is the absurd hooligan Ronnie Banks (Andy Curtis), whose inability to keep his mouth shut lands him with a three year stint in the slammer instead of just one.

The film kicks off with an amusing scene in which the judge passes the above sentence. However, the plot really starts with Ronnie’s release. He decides instantly that he wants to work further up in the hierarchy of the criminal organisation to which he belongs, unaware that he is only there in the first place because of a promise made by the group’s leader, Briggs (Brendan Dempsey), to Ronnie’s father. When his request is refused, Ronnie attempts to take control of an Irish pub (not reckoning on the rightful proprietors’ Irish courage) so that he can advance his criminal career via a new brand of beer.

Written and directed by Mike Scullion, this gangster comedy may have been produced by Canadians, but it is clearly based on the British brand of gangster film that made Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels a success. Although it is not a patch on this film, it combines inane characters and comically grim violence to give a slightly different angle. Gobshite will appeal to those looking for a more zany take on the British comedy gangster genre, with the highlight being the main character’s bizarre violent streak and erratic gibberish, reminiscent of Trainspotting’s Begbie (albeit a cockney one).

If you’re looking for something fun to watch with your mates, dodgy title aside this film contains some amusing scenes and should keep you entertained.

This title has been rated 301 times.