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Top Dog

2014 1h 50m Crime Drama List
Reviews 17% Audience Score 50+ Ratings
Billy Evans, a local bad boy, gets in over his head when he joins a violent gang. Read More Read Less
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Critics Reviews

View All (3) Critics Reviews
Mike McCahill Guardian DVD surely beckons, yet the content is so leaden as to make that Spandau reunion seem creatively worthwhile. Rated: 1/5 May 22, 2014 Full Review Lee Cassanell CineVue The script is paper-thin and confusing, the characters are underdeveloped and uninspiring, and Kemp's direction is pedestrian and uninventive. Rated: 1/5 Mar 21, 2019 Full Review Jon Lyus HeyUGuys A film with some substance as well as style. Rated: 3/5 May 21, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (14) audience reviews
Audience Member It's a British crime drama with all that entails. All the right characters are on all the right squares. It's efficiently directed, for the most part well acted, and even boasts a small beating heart. So, if 'as sweet as a nut' and similar, butters your parsnips, you're in for an entertaining ninety minutes or so. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member Low-budget indie films originating from the UK don't always guarantee quality. "Top dog" is proof of that. The meager attempt to blend hooliganism within English football with local crime which is connected with the more notorious mafia of the country, unfortunately turned into a fiasco. The idea isn't bad. Only they've dropped a few stitches in the implementation of it. The result doesn't leave a lasting impression and can safely be classified as another third-rate crime movie. It's the story about Billy Evans (Leo Gregory), leader of a group of supporters of an English football club who spend their weekends with beating up supporters of the opponent. He's an exemplary family man and a person who's trusted by his blood brothers. The day he wants to help his uncle and aunt to get rid of a local extortionist gang, he doesn't realize what hornet's nest he's getting himself into. Before he knows it, he finds himself in a tricky situation with unpleasant consequences as a result. He starts to realize that hooliganism and mafia practices are two totally different disciplines. Normally I'm always pleased with the performances in a British film, but this time something bothered me at that level. The most eye-catching performance came from Lorraine Stanley (wife of Billy's best friend). Gregory was at times convincing as the cold-blooded and unstirred leader of football fans. But during the emotional moments it all looked kind of silly. Ricci Harnett, the Machiavellian gang leader with his accompanying mocking grin, was the most intriguing character. Unfortunately he behaved like a beaten dog when sitting in front of the big chief Mr. Watson (Vincent Regan). Yet strange that such a confident thug like Mickey, and always accompanied by two bodyguards, can be beleaguered in such a simple manner. Most likely an underestimation of the opponent. Ultimately, it's just a typical film about thugs and hooligans. The story didn't provide the necessary tension. Needless to say there were also some ridiculous scenes. Such as when the police wants to question Billy about a brawl. Billy flees and before you know it, the complete police force (and special task force) is chasing him, as if he's an escaped, most-wanted terrorist. Slightly exaggerated. The clashes in Mickey's clubs looked rather amateurish and contrived. If you want to watch a decent film about the English underworld, then I suggest you watch "Legend". And I am convinced there are better movies about hooliganism. "Top dog" was certainly not Premier League. More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member Awful. Possibly the worst of it's genre. Bad accents, worse acting. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Typical British gangster film. Quite predictable and the acting not brilliant. Decent-ish story to it but could have been better Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member much better than I expected that's not to say its a really good film but worth a watch and better than the review I read suggest Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member The Football Hooligan genre is the UKs unique contribution to World cinema. FFS God help us. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/19/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Top Dog

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis Billy Evans, a local bad boy, gets in over his head when he joins a violent gang.
Director
Martin Kemp
Producer
Dougie Brimson, Leo Gregory, Jonathan Sothcott
Screenwriter
Dougie Brimson
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 15, 2018
Runtime
1h 50m
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