Once Upon a Time in the Midlands

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Once Upon a Time in the Midlands ★★ 2002 (R)

Small-time criminal Jimmy (Carlyle) decides to take a second chance on romance in this fitfully engaging comedy. Jimmy sees ex-girlfriend Shirley (Henderson) on a TV chat show where she's just turned down the marriage proposal of her current beau Dek (Ifans). He decides to try to win Shirley back—and he needs to get out of town after literally being left holding the bag after a bungled robbery. Jimmy tries to insinuate himself into Shirley's good graces by making like a dad to their daughter Marlene (Atkins) and having several ineffectual showdowns with Dek. Then Jimmy's pissed-off cohorts come to town looking for their share of the loot and more trouble ensues. 104m/C VHS, DVD . GB Robert Carlyle, Rhys Ifans, Shirley Henderson, Kathy Burke, Ricky Tomlinson, Finn Atkins; D: Shane Meadows; W: Shane Meadows, Paul Fraser; C: Brian Tufano; M: John Lunn.