Neil Thompson’s thriller, scripted by Bafta winning writer Geoff Thompson (no relation), tries hard to be authentic but doesn’t make it. Set in London and Coventry during the early Eighties, it stars Mel Raido as Danny, married with young kids but going nowhere fast.
His wife throws him out and he lands up at a boxing gym where a bouncer, Louis (Colin Salmon), teaches him the noble art of self-defence. Louis has embraced the ancient art of Sun Tzu and believes body language and psychology can calm any situation.
Danny becomes hooked on both Louis and his companions Rob (Shaun Parkes) and Sparky (Scot Williams) and becomes one of the doormen at a local club. But Sun Tzu or not, violence ensues and the newly emboldened Danny finds himself in the thick of it.
All the performances are believable, with Salmon outstanding. But, for all its good points, Clubbed ultimately seems a bit second-hand, as if it has been told too often before. A British GoodFellas it is not.
There’s much attention paid to the Eighties music scene — as befits a director who has made many successful music videos.
Clubbed
Cert: 18
