MovieChat Forums > Shifty (2009) Discussion > Too many coincedences.

Too many coincedences.

posted 14 years ago by trashcanman62
13 replies | jump to latest

A day in the life of an average drug dealer. If we're to believe that Shifty has been dealing for the past four years since Chris left London and earning in excess of 3k a week, everything cushty. Then, on the day Chris returns, his supplier decides to grass him up and frame him for cutting the coke. A punter mugs him at knifepoint, his brother finds the stash behind the washing machine drawer, even though Shifty must have been using this hiding place for god knows how long. The head honcho twigs everything, all the loose ends are tied up and Shifty and Chris are well out of it mate, and back up to Manchester. Call me cynical if you like, but if he had any idea how things were going to turn out, Shifty would have slammed the door in Chris's face when he turnd up on the doorstep. Sorted Bruv!

[–] will-2005 14 years ago

Idiot.

[–] trashcanman62 14 years ago

Great comeback spazmo. I'm glad you weighed up all the arguments. Somebody who can come up with such a critical response is a worthy adversary!

[–] b-tang92 14 years ago

i can see your point, but it would be a pretty dull film if it showed Shifty's average drug dealing day without any problems. What you call "coincedences" is really what drives the film and make it excitable to watch. Otherwise it would just be shifty selling drugs to crackheads.

[–] trashcanman62 14 years ago

They could have played the drama over a series of days or weeks. The path was too linear, and everything just seemed to implode upon Chris' arrival. Whenever I watch this kind of scenario unfold I feel as if the whole thing is rushed, and too many points have to be made in such a short time frame.

[–] b-tang92 14 years ago

they cudnt of reli done it over a series of days or weeks cos they had such a small budget it wud of been harder for them. I quite like the day in the life of.. feel to it aswell. I think its realistic cos a lot can happen in just one day in the drug world. I can see your point but im gonna have to disagree because i didnt find it rushed at all, i got really into it.
Also if your name is reference to the trashcan man character in stephen kings "The Stand" - thats epic. If not i suggest you watch it, or read the original book however be warned its very loooong

[–] trashcanman62 14 years ago

Yes I use the tagline Trashcanman62 beacause of the character in The Stand. With the exception of It and the Dark Tower books, King's definitive story for me. And I just love this character.....Now where did I leave those matches?

[–] JohnKoliba 14 years ago

Will-2005 works in the British film industry and gets very defensive if you critisize British films even if they are mediocre like Shifty or complete dross like Rolling With the Nines. There's a culture in and around the British film industry of congratulating people just for getting a film made regardless of quality.

[–] trashcanman62 14 years ago

Even more reason for him to come up with a more positive defence rather than simply a lazy reply to an opinion.

[–] gavone1 14 years ago

I can see your point but also you are jumping to conclusions. Im not 100% but shifty and chris started selling weed and a few pills before chris left, i dont think we know when shifty starts selling crack and coke because chris looks very suprised that his doing it, he may have only been doing it for a year/months. The supplier looks like he has a dislike to shifty anyway not just from that day. Theres no refernce to how long he has stashed gear in the washing machine so he may have only had it there a week, who knows. Head honcho twigs everything? well of course he does he hears the conversation in the flat because shift calls him, so im not sure where your going with that one.
Also with a small budget as mentioned it would be very hard to have filmed it over days/weeks, plus there would be know reason for chris to stay that long and has been pointed out been a very boring film if you just want to watch a drug dealer do his job.
You should watch the pusher trilogy, they are all shot over 1 day in the lifes of drug dealers.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rollypolymasta 14 years ago

There may have been many concincidences in the film but as someone else said I tend to find that if something eventful happens it is usually followed by a quick succesion eventful things that may be due to a certain vibe your giving off or whatever but this certainly doesn't have as many coincidences as other films where certain coincidences just seem plain ridculous. And I feel that the fact that it was all condensed in one day made it all the more eventful and such a negative experience for Shifty added with the constant disapproval from daniel mays character its what caused him to question his life. But I do agree it would be a very interesting concept to see this spread out over a longer time period so we could see how shifty changed from day to day with a string of unlucky days.

[–] akaiken 14 years ago

If the movie had taken place over a longer course of time it wouldn't have had anywhere near the dramatic effect that it accomplished by putting it in the span of a day. The movie is all about the consequences of being in that lifestyle coming to a head, so what if it would be somewhat of a coincidence if that were to happen in real life? How many other movies require the viewer to suspend disbelief and yet are still thoroughly enjoyable?

[–] old-skool101 7 years ago

We don't really know chris's backstory apart from dealing some dodgy pills that lead to a girls death

Maybe Chris was the real'shifty' one. He tipped off the brother on all his mates hiding places. Conspired with the drug bosses to get back at the supplier who cut up the all the coke...and you didn't see him put up too much of a fight when the mugging was going off in the tunnel.

Maybe he did all this to get a reluctant Shifty out of town.