Hard Boiled Sweets - DVD

Content: Cunning Eddie (Paul Freeman), an old-school gangster, rules Southend with a hard hand. You'd think that any crook, no matter how small, would have respect for Eddie and wouldn't dare get in his way. But when Jimmy the Gentleman (Peter Wright) once again shows up with his money suitcase to bring Eddie his earnings, several small groups set out to swindle that money from him. Eddie's mistress, the seductive Porsche (Ty Glaser), the pimp Gerry (Adrian Bower) and the young prostitute Delta (Laura Greenwood), as well as the ex-con Johnny (Scot Williams), who is persuaded by the cop Fred (René Zagger), want to rip Eddie off. And then there's new crime boss Leroy (Danny Sapani), who wants to take control of Southend. Of course, with this powder keg, it's only a matter of time before the air becomes leaden and all moves, no matter how carefully planned, have to be reconsidered...

With Hard Boiled Sweets, director David L.G. Hughes presents the feature version of his short film A girl and a gun. Stylistically, Hughes obviously takes his cues from Guy Ritchie's early hit films, but unfortunately doesn't put his own spin on it enough to feel truly fresh and original. True, the idea of introducing all the protagonists by comparing them to candies (i.e. the titular Hard Boiled Sweets) is quite amusing. But this effect also wears off relatively quickly.

However, even though the wheel is not reinvented here and Hughes treads all too familiar paths of British gangster films overall, the thriller, spiced with plenty of twists and wonderfully black humour, is on balance really good fun. On the one hand, this is due to the very fast-paced production, which seems a bit overloaded here and there, but never lets even a hint of boredom arise. Amusing dialogue, quick cuts, and a fitting soundtrack contributed by award-winning producer and composer Tom E. Morrison also contribute to the story's coherent pace.

On the other hand, the film also works because of its mix of suspense and humor, of gritty characters and quirky villains. The thriller is serious enough not to degenerate into over-the-top silliness, while also being very funny in an often macabre way, which breaks up the action in a pleasant way. The actors leave a consistently positive impression, with Paul Freeman as gangster boss Eddie, whom he already played in A girl and a gun, and Ty Glaser as the seductive as well as conscienceless Porsche being particularly convincing.

Hard Boiled Sweets didn't quite hit the big time. The film simply lacks too much of its own ideas for that. However, entertaining entertainment with a good pinch of humor is offered to fans of British gangster cinema. Who does not expect a perfect glossy product or a second Jack, Queen, King, grAs, will be entertained here quite well. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: Visually, the film leaves a good impression. The image is clean, the slightly undercooked colour scheme atmospheric and the overall sharpness is at a good level. In darker scenes, slight image noise can be detected here and there, but it doesn't really have a negative impact. In terms of sound, it is noticeable that the dialogue in the German language version is mixed a little more centrally, which is why the whole thing sounds a little more harmonious overall in the original version. Otherwise, however, both the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix and the DTS track are pleasing with some well-executed surround effects that provide pleasant dynamics in an event dominated by its dialogue. Good!

Extras: As a bonus, the DVD has a quite worth seeing Making of (approx. 33 min.) and some cut scenes to offer (approx. 5 min.). In addition, director David L.G. Hughes reveals in a short featurette how his short film A girl and a gun eventually became his first feature film (approx. 10 min.). The short film itself can of course also be seen (approx. 17 min.). It is commendable that German subtitles are optionally available for all extras. The trailer for the film and other program tips from the provider are also still included on the disc.

Conclusion: Hard Boiled Sweets is stylish gangster cinema from Great Britain, which spices its intricately told story with quirky characters and a bit of black humor, and thus can significantly increase its entertainment value. True, the whole thing isn't quite as clever as the film would like to be. But if you like Guy Ritchie's early films, you'll definitely get your money's worth here. The DVD presents the gangster thriller in good picture and sound quality and also offers good extras with the short film on which this film is based and a nice making of. For this there is then under the line a deserved: Recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp