The Business DVD Review:

Frankie (Dyer) needed to leave London quickly so when he is offered a job in southern Spain he jumps at the chance. Landing at the Costa Del Crime, Frankie soon starts to mix with fellow ex-pats who have escaped Thatcher’s Britain to set up their own new empires in the sun. The talk of the coast was Charlie (Hassan) the man who ran the marijuana trade with partner in crime Sam (Bell) and Frankie was about to join them in the think of things. But as he got richer in the decadent 80s, all the money in the world would stop them wanting more and with that came a whole lot more trouble.

The gangster flick is becoming the bread and butter of the British film industry but can ‘The Business’ bring anything new to an already cluttered genre?

Writer/director Nick Love takes you back to a time of complete decadence, when money flowed like water and crime was an easy way of making loads of it. The southern coast of Spain soon became the Costa Del Crime as the criminals from Britain headed to the sun. Their crime of choice was drug supplying, as the marijuana and later cocaine comes into Spain and is then shipped back to the yuppies of the UK. With this came money, power and all of the trinkets that you can buy and this came very easy.

Nick Love takes you back to this time for a no holds barred look at how London’s worst thugs made a fortune in Spain in the 1980s. These deplorable people have always held a fascination for the viewing public and ‘The Business’ reveals in showing this. Charlie, Sam and Frankie are the worst kind of criminal scum who are not afraid using any means to make their money, including murder.

Charlie, played by gangster movie stalwart Tamer Hassan, is the playboy of the trio and lives life to the full. Drinking the most expensive champagne, driving fast cars, buying the biggest villa and having any woman he pleases, Charlie is the success story of the Costa Del Crime but the problem is that he wants more. Sam, played by screen hard man Geoff Bell, is the enforcer, the man who goes to any length to get the job done but only trusts Charlie. Danny Dyer is Frankie, the new kid on the Costa who becomes embroiled in Charlie and Sam’s world but soon adapts to the life. This is a role that Dyer is very comfortable with but would be good to see him take on something that will let us see if he can actually play anything else.

Coming between the trio is Sam’s girlfriend Carly, played by up and coming British actress Georgina Chapman. She is the beautiful, manipulative girl who has both Sam and Frankie rapped around her little finger and he uses her feminine wilds to get everything she wants.

‘The Business’ may well be filled clichéd characters and offers nothing new to the genre but the story and the performances draw you into their criminal world. While these characters might not be the most likeable ever to grace the silver screen but you can’t help but watch this type of people and hope they get there comeuppance and the 80s soundtrack is brilliant.

Star Rating = * * *

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.35:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well for a low budget movie.

BONUS FEATURES

Commentary with director Nick Love and Danny Dyer (Frankie)
The writer/director and his star come together to talk about their second feature together. This is a no holds barred commentary, as you would expect from Nick Love and Danny Dyer as they talk about ‘The Business’ like two mates having a chat down the pub. They talk about recreating the 80s in both look and style on a micro budget and the importance of getting the soundtrack right to suit the time. They also reveal what it was like on set, telling stories of what went on in their own unique way. This is a good commentary which is a must listen for people who love the film.

The Business – The Making of… (27.02 mins)
Writer/director Nick Love, producers James Richardson and Alan Niblo, production designer Paul Burns, costume designer Andrew Cox, director of photography Damien Bromley and stars Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Geoff Bell and Georgina Chapman take you behind the scenes of the movie. In a video diary format, this is a no holds barred look at a Nick Park movie, with all the arguments and fun from the Spanish shoot. We also see how the 1980s setting was recreated in production and costume design as they take you behind the scenes of the Club, golf and bullet-proof vest scenes.

Deleted Scenes (13.48 mins)
Eight deleted scenes that show you more of Frankie’s arrival in the Costa Del Crime, more of the Morocco plan, the shooting, the problems with the operation and keeping the locals sweet. These scenes suffer from the lack of an introduction or commentary to explain why they were removed.

Alternative Ending (1.31 mins)
Watch an alternative ending that sees a character get revenge.

Outlaw – A new Nick Love Movie
A preview of the writer/director’s new movie that is scheduled for release in 2007

Production designs
Sketches and designs of the various sets

Photography Gallery
Promotional images from the making of the movie

Cast and Crew Biographies
Read text biographies for Danny Dyer, Tamer Hassan, Geoff Bell, Georgina Chapman, director Nick Love, producers Allan Niblo and James Richardson and executive producer Robert Pearson.

Theatrical Trailer (1.55 mins)
View the promotional trailer for the film

Other releases
Previews of ‘Football Factory’, ‘It’s all gone Pete Tong’ and ‘The Aristocrats’

Trailers
Previews of ‘Walk the Line’, ‘Oliver Twist’, ‘Breakfast on Pluto’, ‘Nightwatch’ and ‘Transporter 2’

OVERALL

Fans of ‘The Business’ will be very pleased with the DVD treatment of the film. The making of… captures the spirit of what is like to be on the set of a Nick Love film. The commentary is also very good as the director and his star really have some fun. A must buy for fans.



Jamie Kelwick