ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

In the bristling and brutal crime thriller Sugarhouse, Andy Serkis delivers a performance that makes his turn as King Kong look like Johnny Vegas's knitted monkey sidekick. He plays a drugs kingpin whose gun has been nicked, and Ashley Walters - impressive as a twitchy crack addict - is the prime suspect. But it's not just the performances that hold up this unusually solid piece of British filmmaking; there's also the muscular script by Dominic Leyton based on his play.

It's a gift for director Gary Love (making his big screen debut) and he makes the most of it. A sense of foreboding kicks in from the start as the dishevelled D (Walters) invites city slicker Tom (Steven Mackintosh) into a derelict building for some unspecified business. It soon becomes apparent that Tom is looking to buy a gun, but by this time Hoodwink (Serkis) is already on the warpath, determined to retrieve the stolen .38 snubnose that links him to a murder.

"GETS THE ADRENALIN PUMPING"

Anyone dreading another dour tale of life on a council estate will get a slap in the face from Love and his high-energy, slightly stylised approach. He quickly gets the adrenalin pumping, crosscutting between tense negotiations over the gun and Hoodwink's frenzied hunt for D. Serkis plays his part like a wrecking ball, leaving much blood in his wake, but it's the madness in his eyes that shines out over cartoonish antics. Walters (so bland in Life & Lyrics) is a strong anchor and gives this cool crime story a heart. The bond he develops with Tom (the weakest character) isn't entirely credible though and there are nagging questions, especially over Hoodwink's decision to hide a murder weapon in his flat. Still, these are minor quibbles when you're hanging off the edge of your seat.

Sugarhouse is out in the UK on 24th August 2007.