Essex Boys

Last Update: 08 September 2000

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There's more to Essex than a giggle at the girls and a shop at the Lakeside. A new generation of East End villains have moved up and out of the inner cities - bringing with them a new breed of crime and a much harder, more ruthless attitude. Inspired by a real-life incident several years ago in which a group of suspected drug pushers were found shot dead in a Land Rover in the Essex woods, Essex Boys is a dark and violent look at British gangsters, a work of fiction looking at all aspects of organised crime - not just drugs.

"It's an edgy gangland thriller with shades of Goodfellas," explains a spokesman for the film. The story is seen through the eyes of a naive small-time crook who is employed by a vicious gangster and becomes blinded by the glamour of organised crime while he is seduced into a dangerous underworld. The young gangster, Billy Reynolds, is played by Charlie Creed-Miles, who starred in Nil By Mouth, while Sean Bean stars as the lead gangster, or "geezer", Jason Locke.

ER star Alex Kingston plays the gangster's beautiful but scheming wife, Lisa Locke, in her first big movie role. "Her character turns the Essex girl thesis on its head," says the film's spokesman. "She's the smartest of the lot." The script is co-written and produced by Jeff Pope (Fools Gold, The One That Got Away), and directed by co-writer Terry Winsor. "It's Goodfellas meets Canvey Island and parts are really quite violent", a production team member is quoted as saying. "A young guy get lured into the glamorous world of clubs, bars and protection rackets. But he becomes sickened by the violence and seedy underworld. It follows his efforts to get out of the whole scene."

	What at first seems glamorous and exciting soon reveals itself as frightening and heartless - but by then it's too late and Billy Reynolds is in too deep.
	The Rettendon murders involved the deaths of three drugs barons on a lonely track at Rettendon, Essex in December 1995. Patrick Tate, 37, Anthony Tucker, 38, and Craig Rolfe, 26, were shot at point-blank range in a Land Rover after they thought they had a rendezvous with contacts to set up a major deal. Later, at the Old Bailey, London, Michael Steele, 55, of Great Bentley, and Jack Whomes, 36, of Brockford, Suffolk, were jailed for life for murder.

"The writers looked at that story and said 'What if things happened in a different way'," said a film source.

Sean on location in Brightlingsea, April 1999

Filming of Essex Boys began February 28, 1999 and finished on April 26, 1999. A number of local areas in Essex have been incorporated into the shooting schedule, including Brightlingsea, Canvey Island, Epping Forest, the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Brentwood and the Bar Central in Southend. Essex Boys is a Granada Film production, distributed by Pathe-UK, with international sales handled by Spring International.

	GRANADA PRESENTS A GRANADA FILM PRODUCTION SEAN BEAN ALEX KINGSTON CHARLIE CREED-MILES TOM WILKINSON LARRY LAMB

This story is inspired by a single true event. It left three men dead, two serving life imprisonment and another living under an assumed identity. The rest is fiction, as are all the characters.

Click here for the detailed storyline of Essex Boys. (Warning! Spoilers!)

Click here for a brilliant review of Essex Boys. (Warning! Spoilers!)

Click here for Sean's thoughts about the character he plays in Essex Boys, Jason Locke.

Click here to read a first-hand account of one extra's experiences on the set of Essex Boys: Essex Boys on Location.

Click here for the Essex Boys Press Archive, including reviews.

Click here for the Essex Boys Production Story Click here for details of the Essex Boys Cast Click here for details of the Essex Boys Crew

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS: Sean Bean ....................Jason Locke Alex Kingston .................Lisa Locke Tom Wilkinson .................John Dyke Charlie Creed-Miles............Billy Reynolds Michael McKell.................Wayne Lovell Larry Lamb.....................Peter Chase Billy Murray...................Perry Elley Holly Davidson.................Suzy Welch Gareth Milne...................Chippy Amelia Lowdell.................Nicole Terence Rigby..................Henry Hobbs George Jackson.................Kiri Christos Sally Hurst....................Beverley Louise Landon..................Jemma Gary Love......................Detective

PRODUCTION CREDITS Produced by ...................Granada Films ...............................Jeff Pope Executive Producer ............Pippa Cross Directed by ...................Terry Winsor Written by ....................Jeff Pope ...............................Terry Winsor Editor ........................Edward Mansell Director of Photography........John Daly BSC Location Manager...............Ben Rimmer Line Producer .................Paul Frift Production Designer............Chris Edwards Original Music ................Colin Towns Art Director ..................Tim Stevenson Costume Designer...............Sarah Lubel Sound .........................Ian Voight Makeup Supervisor..............Hilary Martin Casting Director...............Corinne Rodriguez UK Distributor ................Pathe UK UK Release.....................July 14, 2000 Certificate....................Passed '18' for violence, sex, ...............................drug use and coarse language Running Time...................102m 7s

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