Best Laid Plans

Released By: Well Go USA
Released On: 06/26/2012
Director: David Blair
Cast: Stephen Graham, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, David O'Hara
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The Film:
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Chris Green's screenplay for Best Laid Plans may be an adaptation of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, but it definitely carries its own weight as it examines the relationship between two men in modern-day Nottingham. Danny (Stephen Graham) is a two-bit criminal who likes to daily drown out his miserable existence with beer and large amounts of cocaine. Being that beer and coke aren't cheap, Danny finds himself getting deeper and deeper into debt to Curtis (David O'Hara), the local hard man. Curtis suggests a way to pay off his debts more quickly; Danny must convince his roommate Joseph (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a massive, viciously strong man with the mind of a child to take part in Curtis' underground, bare-knuckle boxing matches.

It doesn't take Danny long to figure out that the interest that Curtis is charging on his debts will never be paid off, especially once Curtis realizes that he's got a ringer on his hands, and he's torn between two decisions; refusing to let Joseph fight, which could mean a painful death for both of them, or pleasing Curtis just enough that his supply of dope and booze will keep coming in. Matters are complicated further when Joseph saves a mentally challenged girl from being taunted and abused by some intolerant locals, which leads to her well-meaning parents becoming very interested in how competent Danny is as a caregiver.

With such a plotline, it would've been simple for Best Laid Plans to cross the border into fluff territory, but the writer, actors, and Director David Blair keep the film somewhere between gritty and seedy, with a style that drifts between recent British crime movies and 70's American exploitation. The mood of the lens is dark, and there's no shying away from the violence and ugliness of the situation. With just enough juxtaposition of the relationship between Joseph and Isabel, and some of the more touching moments with Danny to stop it from flying straight into depressing, Best Laid Plans is a well-balanced piece that is practically flawless from beginning to end.

The strong suit of the film is most definitely the actors, with Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire, Snatch, This Is England) standing out as Danny; he manages to simultaneously inspire disgust and sympathy simply by changing his facial expressions and tone of voice. Adewale Akinouoye-Agbaje is also excellent as Joseph, pulling off a mix of mentally challenged and possessing some kind of insider wisdom, and then switching gears into full-on animal during the fight scenes. David O'Hara doesn't get nearly enough screen time, but when he does, his portrayal of Curtis is menacing, sneering, and more than effective.

Of course, the skill of the actors should not take away from the excellent direction of David Blair; largely known for his television work, Blair's venture into the feature film world is a surprisingly competent work, with brilliant composition and framing, and the ability to switch seamlessly between conversation and action pieces, and especially effective with the uncomfortable close-ups while Curtis is on screen. If this is his first work as a feature film director, we can certainly expect a lot more from him in the future.

Video/Audio/Extras:

Well Go USA brings Best Laid Plans to blu-ray in a 2.35:1 transfer that looks fantastic. The colour palette, predominantly made up of grays and blues, conveys the grimy atmosphere of Nottingham, with good detail and solid blacks. No visual artifacts are visible. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 track is clear and consistent, with good separation, though the surrounds are not used too much.

Unfortunately, outside of a trailer, there are no extras provided with the film at all.

The Final Word:

Some supplemental features are always nice, but as far as the film and the presentation goes, this is a top notch release from Well Go USA.