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Total Film: The Modern Guide to The Movies

Reviews

May 29th 1998 By Total Film

This British socio-comedy explores the story of a mother and kids who leave their squalid northern home for the bright lights of London town. There they meet up with their wayward slacker father (John "Four Weddings And A Funeral" Hannah) and embark on a Bonnie and Clyde-like shoplifting spree, Dad using the sprogs as cute decoys. With its socially opinionated core, occasional belly laughs, high-jinks aplenty and powerful character-driven performances - not least from Helen McCrory as the down-at-heel mum - The James Gang (there's a gang of them, you see, and they're called James) is a solidly entertaining, emotionally demanding flick. If it's let down a touch, it's by the overly bullshit, feelgood, Hollywood-style happy ending. Still, sentimental-soaked dénouement aside, you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll go "Ahhh".