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It's a lack of pretension that makes Ray Winstone so likable – so long as we don't start getting fancy notions of him as 'an actor'

I suspect Ray Winstone usually knows a good film from a bad one, but he has a world-weary calm that sees no need to let us in on the secret. Perhaps he has an inkling of how pleased we are to see him, and since he has had to declare bankruptcy twice so far as a professional actor he may take a certain gloomy pleasure in just being employed. There are actors well versed in elaborate, erudite answers to the question, "Why did you take this part?", but Winstone has the battered patience of a bloke who has seldom believed in "taking" a part rather than having the good/bad luck of ending up with it. It is that lack of pretension that leaves him so natural and likable,...

During the next few months, about half a dozen British crime films are due for local release, but first out of the barrel is "Love, Honour and Obey", a fascinating blend of violence and humor that features some of the United Kingdom's best young acting talent, including Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Jonny Lee Miller, Rhys Ifans and Sadie Frost. The film works in fits and starts, and while well publicized in Britain, it will probably make a limited impact. UIP distributes here as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

"Love, Honour and Obey" is written, produced and directed by the team of Dominic Anciano and Ray Burdis, who developed their improvisational style in the television comedy series "Operation Good Guys" and their first film "Final Cut" (1997), again starring Law, Frost and Winstone. Possibly to make the improv work easier for their actors, many of the film's characters have the same first name as the actor.

Jonny Jonny Lee Miller), who works in a dead-end job as a courier, persuades his best friend, Jude (Jude Law), to help him join the North London gang of Jude's Uncle Ray (Ray Winstone). Jonny takes to the gangster life with gusto and especially enjoys the conflict with the rival South London gang, led by Sean (Sean Pertwee). Jonny takes an especially strong dislike to one of Sean's bodyguards, Matthew Rhys Ifans, who played Spike in "Notting Hill").

Jonny and Matthew's personal battle eventually draws in both gangs and escalates in violence. This leads to a shootout at Ray's wedding to Sadie (yes, Sadie Frost), with Matthew killing one of Ray's men. Eventually, Ray and Sean decide to sacrifice the two men for the sake of peace between the rival gangs.

Though there is plenty of violence -- both physical and verbal -- most of it is off-screen. The aspects that work best are the humor and the ability of some of the supporting cast to have an impact on the story. The loose improv nature means that lesser cast members can develop easily. It is often their stories that bring the most satisfaction, with scenes between Anciano (as bouncer Dom) and Burdis (as bouncer Burdis) especially amusing as they discuss problems of Burdis' sex life.

Miller seems unable to develop his character fully, especially in terms of his transition from no-hope courier to gun-toting, hardened thug (though he may be hampered by the fact that he has to narrate the story while dressed in a clown outfit). Law brings his expected ease. As the rival gang bosses, Winstone is a subtle combination of menace and charm, while Pertwee gives one of his best performances ever. The women in the film are given little to work with.

The film is interspersed with scenes of various cast members singing along to a karaoke machine (supposedly from Ray and Sadie's wedding), with various actors displaying fine voices, especially Winstone, Miller, Pertwee and Kathy Burke. Costumes are all spot on, and other technical credits are fine, though at times the dialogue is a little muffled.

LOVE, HONOUR AND OBEY

BBC Films presents a Fugitive production

Producer-director-writers: Dominic Anciano,

Ray Burdis

Executive producers: David M. Thompson,

Jane Tranter, Jim Beach

Associate producer: Sadie Frost

Director of photography: John Ward

Production designer: `Nick Burnell

Costume designer: Ali Brown

Editor: Rachel Meyrick

Music supervision: John Beckett

Color/stereo

Cast:

Sadie: Sadie Frost

Jonny: Jonny Lee Miller

Jude: Jude Law

Ray: Ray Winstone

Kathy: Kathy Burke

Sean: Sean Pertwee

Maureen: Denise Van Outen

Matthew: Rhys Ifans

Running time -- 98 minutes

No MPAA rating...