Dead Man Running (2009)

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

Good movie but grossly overrated

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

I recently viewed Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels, and thought it was a cinematic masterpiece. I watched Dead Man Running yesterday, when I saw that the two had a similar plot line. I wasn't expecting Dead Man Running to be as good of a movie as Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels, but I also wasn't expecting it to be almost as bad of a movie as Dave Eddy's Pocket Ninjas. The dialogue is rather lame, the twist is cliché and expected, and everything feels hand-me- down and second hand. Brenda Blethyn had a beautiful performance as Tammer Hassan's mother, which although was superb, didn't quite make up for 50 Cent's less than acceptable acting. Dead Man Running and Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels have the same situation with me as Corner Gas and Dan For Mayor. The Corner Gas/Dan For Mayor conundrum means that I enjoyed Corner Gas, but don't enjoy Dan For Mayor, although I want to. Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels is hands-down one of my all-time favourite movies, and Dead Man Running is hands-down one of my all-time least favourite movies. I really want to like Dead Man Running, but the dialogue, second-hand feeling, and clichés didn't do it for me. I give Dead Man Running a three of of ten.

This is very poor indeed. I read that two premiership footballers had gone fifty fifty on the budget of £2.5m pounds. None of that ends up on the screen, and perhaps there is a perverse sense of justice, for want of a better word – presumably everyone involved in this production took their lead from the two financiers, by putting themselves on massive salaries. How else can you explain where the money went ?! Over ten years ago, with Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie did this kind of film so much better, on a fraction of the budget.Danny Dyer's declining career takes another dive her – they've cast him as the comedy sidekick, but failed to give him any material to work with. Hassan, in his first lead role, is one of the film's few bright points but he struggles to stand out. It is frustrating to see talented British actors like Brenda Blethyn and Phil Davis appear in this kind of product. American rapper 50 Cent is as bad as other reviews have pointed out. The plot is very Guy Ritchie-esquire, but fails on just about every level and tedium kicks in at the half way point. The action is poorly staged. An underground bare knuckle fight scene is edited so badly its laughable. A hulking bodybuilder with no dialogue, save for a few grunts, takes on Hassan in a hastily arranged punch up which has zero choreography. It typifies the mentality of whoever made this dross – the guy has an imposing physique and looks great when he makes his entrance, but as soon as the "fight" starts, it descends into the realms of American wrestling, and is about as convincing. Hassan does his best, but its bad.An interview with Rio Ferdinand in the national press, in the build up to this film's UK release, revealed that he'd not actually read the script before investing his half of the budget. Its an incredible attitude to take to producing a film, but one that appears to have caught on – the only thought that appears to have gone into the bare knuckle punch up is to bring in a massive body builder.Later, there is a "chase" when a police motorcyclist persues Hassan and Dyer, driving a stolen black cab, through woodland. For no apparent reason, either within the scene or by what we see on the screen, the copper simply steers his motorcycle into a ditch, bringing an end to the chase before anything had happened. Several people in the cinema (and there were only several people in the cinema) grumbled at this – presumably the editor did the best he could, but why stage a chase if you can't pull it off ? It looks like there's half the scene missing.All in all this was a very poor effort. I wouldn't bet against all concerned going onto bigger and better things, and it would be interesting to see what Hassan can do with better material. Its one of those films that drags even though its not overly long, and one that you can cut a good trailer for, and create an appealing poster for, but I found it very disappointing in just about every department.

LOVED this little movie that I caught opening weekend in London. It's surprisingly funny and entertaining. Tamar Hassan is sure to be a big star- he's like a bigger and more handsome Antonio Banderas. Could see this being a breakout role for him like Sexy Beast was for Ray Winston. He's tough but sexy and charming. and Brenda Blethyn is genius. I'm still laughing at some of her lines. The people in my theatre were cheering after her last scene (when you see it you'll know what I'm talking about). Don't miss this little gem. Good pure entertainment.Great soundtrack also.

Danny (rent a London wide boy) Dyer is yet again paid to play the same old tired London wide boy. His fellow type cast actor tammer Hasan is even in here the other London wide boy. so just by having these 2 actors you can pretty much guess the whole movies plot. BUT WAIT there is a twist not just DAN AND TAN we have that great of the hoodlum rap genre mr 50 cents, as he is in the u.k. I think we shall now call him 50p for future reference. This movie even has big football movie connections it was funded by non other than Rio Ferdinand...that's right I said that huge football star Rio ferdanando..or something like that. Any way having explained to you all who's in the movie and who's connected to it with the funding I now come to the review of the said movie. OK here it is 2 wide boys need 24 hours to raise cash quickly or there nasty money lender will do a number on one of them.. With no charm or style this movie chugs a long at a fair pace you can even see some local celebrities from the u.k. in it. What this film lacks in originality it does not make up in dialogue.I could list reels of embarrassing London wide boy chit chat , but it was embarrassing to sit through let alone repeat.This is a cash making machine that teenage boys will rent out to see how British gangsters should operate. 50p is the main pull here and to be honest just like his acting as a yobo singer who talks fast he does bring something to the movie… Can put my finger on it..O yes I remember when he came on screen acting the cool and sophisticated money lender I thought of David bowie… You know when bowies in a movie its going to be dreadful but get great reviews because his fans love him, well that's what I thought of 50p acting. Can't sing cant dance cant act…he will go along way.Its almost blueprint in how not to make a movie about British life. This is yet another movie about the so called underworld of the u.k. made by people who have no idea about the underworld of the u.k. funded b millionaire football players and rent a yob actors this is so artificial it's the most plastic gangster movie yet. If you really want to see a movie and it has to be about gangster in the uk , then I suggest the Manchester movie "a very British gangster"