Rob Falconer People seem really divided by this film.The acting is fine and the characters may be real, but they're not the sort of people I want to see on screen ... and especially not in real life. And I'm certainly surprised any of the reviewers here are happy to identify with them. Watching the film, I begin to agree more and more with Aldous Huxley in "Brave New World." This film is full of bad language, features stupid and repulsive people, and is not remotely funny. The basic concept is fine (why my family decided to watch it in the first place), but it's badly-planned, and poorly executed (rather like Grounds' "The Dinner Party" for television).All four of us (aged 55, 42, 16 and 15) gave up after thirty minutes and didn't want to watch any more.

Jackson Booth-Millard From Tony Grounds, writer and director, also of that one-off special The Dinner Party (which has the main star in it), this isn't a bad black comedy drama about the loser family trying to get a better life. Before I start, I have to say when I saw the poster, I thought it was some kind of spy or action comedy, but never mind. Anway, basically Robert Martin (Lee Evans) enters almost any competition going with big prizes, and his latest attempt saw him towards the finals rounds, but an elderly quite well-off family won instead, Robert obviously blames the paper because they want to make interesting reading. Robert is now on a little bit of rampage with a gun, that he is looking after for a "mate", sticking it out to anyone who is ruining the chance to have a bit more of a better life, mostly for that "luxury holiday" he lost out on. This includes going to the competition runner Hatfield Recorder Editor (Paddy Considine), and of course, the "undeserved" winners Mr. (Frank Finlay) and Mrs. Heath (Barbara Leigh-Hunt) for their tickets. While Robert and the family, wife and mother Angie (Kathy Burke), her mother Anthea (Linda Bassett), and the kids, young son Little Bob (Eric Byrne) and 14-year-old pregnant Katie (Terri Dumont) head off for their stolen holiday, the police are receiving many calls about a man with a gun threatening a school teacher, the competition guy, stealing pet birds, and the elderly couple trapped in the basement. As Robert and family get closer to the holiday, him and Angie seem to be drifting apart, especially when admits to cheating, and she decides that he should leave after the holiday's over. They get there, and are all satisfied, apart from Robert, who is pretty broken with the thought of leaving afterwards. In the end, after Katie has her baby with Robert's help, he is arrested (falsely, well, apart from the gun stuff), a few months later he is released from prison, and it seems things go back to normal. Also starring Frank Finlay as Mr. Heath, Snatch's Lennie James as Police Constable Alex, Jack Shepherd as Detective Inspecter, Mark Strong as Doug, Lorraine Ashbourne as Lil, Tameka Empson as Mo, and a short but humorous appearance by Ray Winstone as Mr. Marvel. It is interesting to see Lee Evans playing a more human character, a family that swears almost as much as The Osbournes, a fun film with all the issues and similarity to a film by Mike Leigh, and a good mix of films Falling Down and The Pursuit of Happiness. Good!

derekparry This is a curious little tale. The Martins are the family "you cross the road to avoid". Foul-mouthed, burning tyres in the back yard, motor car polluting the environment, surviving on benefits - in fact the archetypal family you don't want next door to you. However, as the film progresses we learn a little about each character and the viewer is enticed into understanding a little of what makes these real-life characters tick.Kathy Burke and Lee Evans are two renowned British comedy actors but the comedy in this film is very dark. Burke's is a fabulous performance as the wife who wants more than husband Evans is able to provide.Cameo roles for two other British heavyweights, Ray Winstone and Mark Strong are both unforgettable.If there is a problem I have with this movie it is that if the morale of the story is to move the dysfunctional to better surroundings then I fear it is misguided. And beware if you are sensitive to bad language - there is plenty.

Vigilante_no12003 WARNING-----------------------WARNING********************SPOILERS****************************** I saw this movie on sattalite last year and was bowled over.It's a funny and touching film about a family that live on a council estate and struggle to make ends meet.Lee Evans (mousehunt) plays the father of said family who is sick of not being able to even take his wife an kids on holiday,so he steals one.Watch it to know what i'm on about. It has some memroable quotes especially from Ray Winstone (Ripleys Game) Such as:"Why does your dad want a childrens entertainer,when he's already a f***ing clown himself?" Brilliant!!! All in all a great movie which I reccomend.