Watch Top Dog
- 2014
- 1 hr 32 min
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5.0 (1,677)
Top Dog is a British action-thriller film that was released in 2014. The movie was directed by Martin Kemp and written by Dougie Brimson. The film stars Jason Flemyng as Billy Evans, Vincent Regan as Mickey Feeny, and Tom Davis as Danny. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Dougie Brimson. The story of Top Dog revolves around Billy Evans, a former football hooligan who has turned his life around and is now working as a dog handler for the police. Billy is married to a social worker named Nikki and they have a young daughter named Katie. One day, Billy is approached by his old friend Mickey Feeny, who has just been released from prison. Feeny is a charismatic football hooligan who wants to start a new firm, but this time he wants to make money.
Billy initially resists Feeny's overtures, but he eventually joins the firm. The group of hooligans that Feeny has assembled is not made up of football fans. Instead, they are criminals who use football matches as a cover for their illegal activities. The gang is involved in everything from drug trafficking to money laundering, and they use violence to intimidate their rivals.
The police, including Billy's boss, Detective Inspector Frank Bargain, are investigating the firm. However, Billy becomes increasingly involved in the gang's activities and starts to turn a blind eye to their crimes. He even starts to enjoy the violence and adrenaline rush that comes with being a football hooligan.
As tensions rise between the different factions within the firm and the police close in, Billy is forced to make a decision. Will he stick with his old friend and continue down the path of violence and crime, or will he turn his back on Feeny and help the police bring him to justice?
In terms of the performances, Jason Flemyng is strong as Billy Evans. He conveys the character's internal conflict well and is believable as a reformed hooligan who is tempted by his old ways. Vincent Regan is also very good as Feeny, bringing a lot of charisma to the role. Tom Davis does a good job as Danny, the newcomer to the firm who is caught up in the violence.
The film also features some well-executed action sequences. There are some intense fights between the different hooligan firms that are brutal but not gratuitous. The climax of the film, which takes place at a football match, is particularly well done.
However, there are some weaknesses to the movie. The characters, aside from Billy and Feeny, are not well developed. The motivations of many of the supporting characters are unclear, and some of them are not given enough screen time to really make an impact. Additionally, the pacing of the film can be uneven at times, with some scenes moving too quickly while others drag on.
Overall, Top Dog is a solid action-thriller that will appeal to fans of the genre. It has some strong performances and well-executed action sequences, but it is held back by underdeveloped characters and uneven pacing. Fans of Dougie Brimson's writing will likely enjoy the film, but newcomers to his work may find it difficult to fully engage with the story.
Top Dog is a 2014 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 32 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.