Today’s quick review: Cardboard Gangsters. Jay Connolly (John Connors) and his friends Dano (Fionn Walton), Glenner (Paul Alwright), and Cobbie (Ryan Lincoln) are low-level drug dealers looking to make it big. Their aspirations pit them against Derra Murphy (Jimmy Smallhorne), a veteran dealer with a stranglehold on their neighborhood. As the turf war escalates, Jay pursues a dangerous fling with Murphy’s girlfriend Kim (Kierston Wareing).
Cardboard Gangsters is an Irish crime drama about a drug dealer who gets in over his head. Jay Connolly has the street smarts and the ambition to make his criminal dreams a reality, but just a few bad decisions threaten to destroy everything he has. Cardboard Gangsters offers an intimate look at street crime, the decisions that lead to it, and its destructive nature. Believable character work leads to a small-scale story that still has dramatic heft.
Unlike other crime dramas, there is no glory in Cardboard Gangsters. Jay and his crew are petty criminals who make foolish mistakes and turn to violence at the drop of a hat. Even at their most successful, they are never awash with cash. This gives the conflict a very grounded quality, with none of the romanticization seen in gangster epics. The characters have to play the hand they’re dealt—which they often do badly—and live with the consequences.
In spite of its competent execution, Cardboard Gangsters does not have much to set it apart. The plot is a turf war that spirals out of control, but the particulars aren’t very memorable. The narrow scope of the story is a good fit for the movie’s themes, its budget, and its characters’ lot in life, but the drama falls short of what could have been done with such a personal setup. And while Jay has a noble streak, he’s not as sympathetic as he could be.
These factors contribute to a workmanlike crime movie with enough craftsmanship to make good on its premises but not enough to stand out from the crowd. Cardboard Gangsters is a fine pick for those in the mood for something more realistic than flashy. It makes good use of the tools at its disposal, and it manages to set up some interesting choices for Jay and his friends. Even so, viewers hoping for something more striking may want to look elsewhere.
For more small-scale criminal enterprise, try The Business or Killing Them Softly. For a more comedic take on a similar setup, try Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. For a sci-fi movie about a younger gang of delinquents, try Attack the Block.
6.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a competently handled story.