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★★★★
Directed by: #RobbieWalsh
Starring: #EoinMacken, Robbie Walsh, #SeanFlanagan, #KevinOBrien, #KellieBlaise and #JeffDoyle
Remember #GuyRitchie? That directing dude who made movies and got with Madonna? Yeah I remember his distinct style of gangster flare when behind the camera...and it seems, that I’m not the only one.
Robbie Walsh has dived head first into the swimming pool of the edgy, slick and sometimes comedic stylings of the British #gangsterfilms, the style we have seen with such movies as Rock ‘n Rolla, Snatch and Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels...once again remember Guy Ritchie?
Anyway, Walsh, fresh from the swimming pool, dripping in gangster coolness, gives us his latest short film Aces, the story of a group of friends who decided to play a not so friendly game of poker, and by not so friendly I mean they are playing with real money, I play with Pogs from the 90’s, which probably are worth more than money nowadays...well maybe.
We see this game almost from the perspective of one of the players, a shadowy figure we never really get a good shot of, he takes his time, absorbing the people around him, listening intently to conversations, learning about his rivals, but he himself, never says a word, and we ourselves are allowed front row seats to the action.
The banter is rich amongst this clan of ‘’friends’’ and we see them telling jokes and sipping on the whisky like the rebels they are, but out shadowy friend does not join in, maybe he is a recovering alcoholic, but he could have a Capri Sun and crack a few knock knock jokes, but no, he is on a serious mission...a mission to kill.
After his run of bad luck at the table, the gang start to question his motives and it’s not long until we realise that he is not there to cash in his chips but rather make his money as an assassin, and his victim sits right across the table.
We are sitting on needles throughout this piece, Walsh is a master of tension without it being too obvious, the lighting, the atmosphere, all leads us to feel as if something is not quite right, that something sinister is around the corner.
As well as that we cannot overlook the quality of the acting, each player is competent, confidently carrying their role with ease and grace, making for a smooth watch, one that engulfs us into this seedy backroom poker game, and we all know how much I feel at home in a seedy back room.
Walsh has an extensive catalogue of work behind him, and I’m not surprised, Aces was one of his first films and it displays his talent perfectly, his directing, writing and acting skills are all paraded for us to applaud at, and with good reason too, Aces is an enjoyable and slick short, drawing from the classic #British gangster stylings but with Walsh’s own approach and charm that gives it a place of its own within the genre.
Goddam those triple threats get me going every time.
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