Review of Mr. Nice (2010) by Anthony L — 19 Jan 2016

Good version of the story of Howard Marks britains biggest hash smuggler who spent 7 years in a high security prison in the startes for his crimes.

First the plus points.

Rhys Ifans is outstanding as Marks and its a role he was born to play he captures every nuance of the man and despite the fact he was a reall hardcore drug smuggler you cant help but like him .

David Thewlis is good fun too as a slightly demented IRA terrorist who steals every scene that he is in with his acts of pure oddnesss.

Director Bernard Rose throws in some good scenes including a memorable phone call from an Irish pub and the production of hash in its purest from.

Now the minus .

Why is Chole Sevigny playing Marks Wife!!!!!!

Her Accent is terrible and despite her performance it ruins the narrative drive of the film .

Also the film does tend to sag in places,mainly towards the end .

Its as if Rose the writer has left Rose the director with nothing left to shoot and the result is uneven to say the least with Marks time in a US prision being glossed over rather too quickly.

The film then stands and falls on its lead and luckily Ifans is more than up to the task.

A solid film then ,but one that could have been a little better with some fine tuning.