Reputation – Review

Fair play to Martin Law working with limited resources, a grim northern setting and a subject matter that doesn’t exactly scream box office gold he’s brought Reputation to life and out into the world. It’s gritty, tense, and not an easy watch, but that’s exactly the point. Think Dead Man’s Shoes meets Top Boy by way of the Pennines.

The story follows Wes, played superbly by James Nelson-Joyce – a low-level dealer looking to go straight after becoming a dad. But, as is so often the case in these things, life has other plans – and one of them arrives in the form of Tommy (Kyle Rowe), a volatile old friend fresh out of prison with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. What follows is a slow-burn descent into tension, loyalty tests and violent reckonings.

Reputation isn’t trying to reinvent the crime drama. It knows what it is. There are recognisable beats here – the reformed criminal, the menacing mate, the “one last job” energy and occasionally, it leans a little too hard into the familiar. But where the film really shines is in the performances. Nelson-Joyce gives Wes a genuine emotional core, making him more than just another scally on the edge, and Rowe’s Tommy crackles with unpredictable menace every time he’s on screen.

The direction is tight, the cinematography surprisingly stylish given the micro-budget you really appreciate the production values and the sense of place is rock solid. You feel Dennings – even though it’s fictional, it’s clearly stitched together from real postcodes. Pubs, alleyways, damp flats, and greasy spoon cafes all play their part in building a bleak but believable world.

The soundtrack is minimal, which actually works in its favour – letting the silences and ambient noise do the heavy lifting and it has some problematic language scattered throughout. There are a couple of gorgeous shots that punch well above the budget, and while not every scene hits as hard as it wants to, the overall tone is consistent and confidently handled.

It’s far from perfect, but it is an impressive, promising and powerful debut.

At the end of the day Reputation is a short, sharp punch of a film – a slice of northern realism that pulls no punches and offers no easy answers. So if you’re into male-led British dramas where emotions simmer just under the surface before inevitably boiling over this has just what you’re after. Flawed characters, tough choices and the kind of tension that makes you lean forward in your seat, give it a watch.

On digital 28 July from Miracle Media