Why you can trust GamesRadar+
The initial promise of Gary Love’s low-budget digital debut is deflated by the gnawing suspicion that it would be more comfortable in the ‘edgy’ 10pm slot on BBC2. Ashley Walters stretches his acting legs as babbling crack addict D, who lures disaffected city boy Tom (played by reliable TV staple Steven Mackintosh) to a dodgy estate on the promise of illicit kicks. Meanwhile, local crimeboss Hoodwink (an OTT Andy Serkis) discovers that he’s been robbed... Despite bursts of cinematic potential – in particular the great crane shot at the end of the movie – Sugarhouse never manages to outrun its stagey ambience (it’s adapted from Dominic Leyton’s play Collision). Feeling like a short that’s been stretched out and mugged of its unpredictable tensions, it’s a static slice of ghetto hell.
The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.