A SHIFTY review

There's nothing particularly appealing about the prospect of another British gangster film in a genre filled with over clichéd and, lately, underwhelming offerings. But Shifty, the debut feature from Eran Creevy, is a wonderfully energetic, honest and fresh take on the genre that surprises with its sensitivity and lightness of touch.

Focusing on a day in the life of the eponymous Shifty (Riz Ahmed), a young muslim crack cocaine dealer, and his best friend Chris, the film follows the duo as they try to outwit the local users and rival dealers. Set in a bland and unprepossessing patch of outer London, the usual iconography is nowhere to be seen. Red phone boxes, East End wideboys and Tower Bridge are not on the agenda and their absence adds to the film’s freshness – a clean slate for the London crime film if you like. Instead Shifty meanders through suburbs and back gardens dealing to OAPs, family men and, of course, spotty teenagers.

At the outset Chris returns to home turf after an extended absence, now a recruitment consultant in Manchester. The tragic circumstances behind his sudden departure are slowly revealed and dormant tensions between him and Shifty are awoken. Shifty’s success lies in a clear focus on the relationship between these two even as the fast-paced drama takes hold. But this isn’t a blood-soaked action movie, and anyone expecting a gun-toting gangster showdown will be disappointed. It's still an exciting film - Creevy just has a subtler and more interesting approach, with moments reminiscent of cinema verité as Shifty goes about his business. Riz Ahmed is great, balancing intelligence, ambition and a streetwise manner with a convincing authority. Daniel Mays’ Chris is likewise fantastic, haunted by guilt and at odds with the career path his friend has taken. Together they’re truly believable and the friendship feels neither false nor contrived, with both parties morally compromised yet always likeable.

Inevitably there are some more familiar elements and Jason Flemyng’s duplicitous rival drug dealer edges towards parody at times, though I can’t imagine anyone playing the role better. Moments of levity between the friends enliven potentially grim events and if at some point you think you’ve second guessed the outcome, you’ll likely be wrong.

Shifty’s an understated gem, that almost certainly won’t get the theatrical coverage it deserves. Deftly avoiding most of the staid genre that spawned it, valuing character above all else and employing its violence sparingly, it’s a highly entertaining debut.

Shifty is at cinemas in the UK from 24th April.

You can see the trailer here.