Perrier's Bounty (12A)

PERRIER'S BOUNTY (15) DUBBED a contemporary western by its producer, the film is certainly violent but it s lively, heartfelt and full a cracking comic dialogue. Michael (Murphy) is a bit of a waster who is down on his luck, owing money to Dublin gang

PERRIER'S BOUNTY (15)

DUBBED a 'contemporary western' by its producer, the film is certainly violent but it's lively, heartfelt and full a cracking comic dialogue.

Michael (Murphy) is a bit of a waster who is down on his luck, owing money to Dublin gangland boss Darren Perrier. When the debt is called in, things go from bad to worse. Michael's friend Brenda, played by Whittaker, is suicidal after being dumped by her boyfriend, and shoots dead one of the goons chasing Michael. And then Michael's estranged father Jim (Broadbent) turns up out of the blue who is convinced that if he goes to sleep again he will never wake up. With 24 hours to pay the bounty, the trio end up on the run from the hard men of the Dublin underworld, encountering teenage car thieves, coke dealers and crazy farmhands along the way.

The ironic and charming dialogue works well, but it really comes into its own in the hands of the fantastic actors. And there is some great cinematography showcasing the desolate Irish countryside.

We've seen crime flicks of this nature countless before from Brit directors such as Guy Ritchie, but Perrier's Bounty has a romantic side and a unique comedic edge of its own.