Essex Boys
| Essex Boys | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover image | |
| Directed by | Terry Winsor |
| Produced by | Jeff Pope |
| Written by |
Terry Winsor Jeff Pope |
| Starring |
Sean Bean Ross Morgan Alex Kingston Charlie Creed-Miles Tom Wilkinson Holly Davidson Michael McKell |
| Music by | Colin Towns |
| Cinematography | John Daly |
| Edited by | Edward Mansell |
| Distributed by | Miramax Home Video and Pathe-UK |
Release dates | 14 July 2000 |
Running time | 102 min |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Essex Boys is a 2000 British crime film. It was directed by Terry Winsor and stars Sean Bean, Alex Kingston, Tom Wilkinson, Charlie Creed-Miles and Holly Davidson.
Synopsis
The film is based loosely around events in December 1995 that culminated in the murders of two top drug barons and their driver in Rettendon, Essex, UK. On 6 December 1995, Patrick Tate, Craig Rolfe and Tony Tucker, three drug dealers well known to the police, were lured to Workhouse Lane, Rettendon on the pretext of a lucrative drug deal. There they were killed by shotgun blasts to the head while sitting in their Range Rover. The bodies were found the following morning.
Two men, Jack Whomes and Michael Steele, were convicted of the murders after police informer Darren Nicholls gave evidence against his former friends at their Old Bailey trial. They have always protested their innocence.
Cast
- Charlie Creed-Miles: Billy Reynolds/narrator
- Sean Bean: Jason Locke
- Alex Kingston: Lisa Locke
- Amelia Lowdell: Nicole
- Larry Lamb: Peter Chase
- Michael McKell: Wayne Lovell
- Holly Davidson: Suzy Welch
- Terence Rigby: Henry Hobbs
- Tom Wilkinson: John Dyke
- Billy Murray: Perry Elley
- George Jackos: Kiri Christos
- Sally Hurst: Beverley
- Louise Landon: Jemma
- Gary Love: Detective
- Rachel Darling: Club dancer
- William 'Billy' Hodge: shocked pedestrian, silhouette dancer and surprised guy at front of club que (also Sean Bean's muse)
Locations
The film was shot on location around Essex. The Dartford Crossing also features where the gang travels from Kent to Essex.[1]
Reception
The film met with generally negative critical reviews, maintaining a 17% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. The viewer ratings have generally been more positive
Similar films
The films Rise of the Footsoldier (2007), Bonded by Blood (2010), The Fall of the Essex Boys (2013) and Essex Boys Retribution (2013) are also based – to varying degrees – on the Rettendon murders.
External links
- Essex Boys
- Essex Boys at the Internet Movie Database
- Review of Essex Boys on Rotten Tomatoes
- O'Mahoney, Bernard. "Research: Court Records & other articles". Retrieved 18 September 2012.
- ↑ Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Essex Boys Article".