A hybrid of social drama and London gangster film, WILD BILL marks the directorial debut of actor and personality Dexter Fletcher. It's the story of the titular character who returns home to care for his two boys and who soon finds himself mixed up with his old criminal friends. The narrative draws towards an explosive climax in which Bill must decide whether friends or family come first.
I wasn't too sure about WILD BILL if I'm honest. I appreciate what the film was trying to do, but the whole narrative felt as familiar to me as the usual gangster story. You can't fault Fletcher's assured and confident direction, but the script lets it down; you never really care about what happens to Bill or his slightly obnoxious children.
The casting of Charlie Creed-Miles doesn't help; I've always felt that this guy was a poor man's James Nesbit, and I didn't like him from the outset. Lots of familiar faces pop up (like Andy Serkis) but it's the weaselly bad guys who really stand out, particularly the ever-nasty Iwan Rheon (A GAME OF THRONES). WILD BILL boasts an impressively choreographed climax but other than that it's all rather humdrum.
I wasn't too sure about WILD BILL if I'm honest. I appreciate what the film was trying to do, but the whole narrative felt as familiar to me as the usual gangster story. You can't fault Fletcher's assured and confident direction, but the script lets it down; you never really care about what happens to Bill or his slightly obnoxious children.
The casting of Charlie Creed-Miles doesn't help; I've always felt that this guy was a poor man's James Nesbit, and I didn't like him from the outset. Lots of familiar faces pop up (like Andy Serkis) but it's the weaselly bad guys who really stand out, particularly the ever-nasty Iwan Rheon (A GAME OF THRONES). WILD BILL boasts an impressively choreographed climax but other than that it's all rather humdrum.