Twentyfour Seven

Touted by many as the next best British director, Meadows turned to the film industry after he was caught and charged with stealing a breast pump. He has certainly come a long way since then, with several short films under his belt including the crime-comedies Where's The Money Ronnie? and Smalltime.

Referring to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 24.7 follows a group of unemployed youths on a Nottingham council estate and the attempts of a jobless neighbour (Hoskins) in helping them discover a purpose in life and a sense of belonging.

Shot in crisp black and white, and with a budget of £1.5 million, Meadows creates a film of stark realism, based upon experiences of his own youth. Hoskins gives one of his best performances as Darcy, the man with a heart of gold who sets up a boxing club to bring the youths together. A remarkably talented cast of virtual unknowns (Meadows' friends) help achieve the film's believability in a film based more on strong characters, hilarious set pieces and an obsession with fish fingers than anything else.

If you haven't seen this film, do so. If you have, come along and see it again!

Alan Chan