If there one that the British are good at, it gangster films. Who could ever forget Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels?
So, I was eager to see if this latest film lived up to my expectations. Unfortunately, it didn’t.
A Gangster’s Life (2026) is a low-budget British crime comedy-drama directed by Zak Fenning (his feature debut), written by Roy Rivett, and released digitally in the UK on January 19, 2026, via Miracle Media. It runs for over 90 minutes.
It has a strong start, with two low level gangsters on the verge of being tortured for scamming a ruthless London mob boss. When he discovers how they did it though, he puts business first and they are forced to join his gang. They decide the only way to escape is to do a double scam and flee to Greece, where they believe they will be safe.
The story mixes gritty London gangland tension with fish-out-of-water moments abroad, blending crime caper elements, dark humor, power struggles within the mob, and some attempts at character-driven drama.
The film’s biggest assets are its central performances and occasional bursts of charm. Tony Cook and Jonny Weldon make a solid double act as the mismatched duo—Cook channels a Jason Statham-like tough-guy charisma with his bald-headed, accented presence, while Weldon leans into the comedic potential of his character’s unfortunate name (“Dick”) with blunt, very British humor that often lands.
There are genuinely funny moments, tense sequences, and even a few meaningful beats amid the chaos. The opening title sequence has energy, nodding to Bond-esque flair or late-night crime TV, and the script delivers on-the-nose genre tropes—exaggerated personalities, one-liners, and underworld bravado—with unapologetic enthusiasm.
On the flip side, the movie struggles under the weight of its modest budget and debut-director ambitions. Production values feel limited, with pacing that can turn uneven, dialogue that occasionally stalls, and a story that sometimes plays it too straight or veers into TV-drama territory rather than feeling like a polished feature. Critics have noted character inconsistencies, a muddled ending in places, and moments where the humor or tension falls flat—not always intentionally funny.
Three stars out of five from me.
Mark's Writing Corner 