Maybe Vinnie Jones's best performance

Saw this film for the first time in many years today, I remember seeing it when it came out not long after Snatch. Not a masterpiece but an enjoyable flick and hardly Oscar worthy but a solid performance.

Looking back now it is strange, obviously Vinnie is known almost exclusively for playing tough cockney thug types and over the last few years solely in a string of straight to DVD B movies and with very few people ever taking him seriously as an actor. Nevertheless watching this film, I'd forgotten that he can actually hold his own in a staring role and carry a decent movie pretty well. Not only is he playing the lead protagonist but he isn't just playing his usual tough guy type. He portrays a remorseful, conflicted but good-hearted individual and handles both humorous and emotional scenes pretty well (particularly for an ex-footballer).

At the time it seemed like Vinnie had nowhere to go but up and I'm not sure I would have banked on Statham being the one in the film to become the huge success in Hollywood. Although for me personally I think both Jones and Statham were truly in their element as tough guys in British gangster films under the direction of Guy Ritchie, this particular role for Vinnie Jones will always stand out as the closest he came to showing everyone he's more than just a tough guy ex-footballer acting himself. Hopefully he has a few more good roles left in him, we'll have to wait and see.

Just my opinion :)