Heist movie with a political slant The Whip sees Sadie (Shian Denovan) as a carer who goes through the ignominy of a DWP benefits interview that includes such questions as asking her wheelchair bound sister, ‘Did you have any issues travelling?’ Exasperated the pair return home awaiting the outcome of their eligibility to remain on Independence credit payments which plot demands will see her money greatly reduced. At the same time the thinly disguised tory MP Michel Harrington (Tom Knight) is addressing a handful of local constituents in a church hall and in effort to promote the ability in disability but inevitably will dis the disabled. And he knows it too secretly voicing his dissent over the party line to his PA. Inevitably it gets back to the party whip and his little black book of dark secrets that he uses to keep the party MP’s in line. It’s The Whip of the title as played by Ray Bullock Jr that could have done with more scenes here as he gleefully torments anyone who steps out of the line and is the opposite of compassionate conservatism, whatever that meant, presumably providing cushions for their mistresses.
And having been publicly shamed Harrington about being sacked he finds himself approached by Sadie, her friend Abi (Gala Wesson) who’s persuaded a little too easily to be part of their plot against the government which entails getting hold of that little black book of shame that’s locked in a safe in the whip’s office. And to help them do that they enrol Jason (Daniel Davids) the obligatory computer whizz.
Heist movies and the components that make them successful are a tricky balance and those parts include the stock character types ( the Mastermind, the Muscle, the thief etc) , the explanation of the plan, the unexpected upset to the plan, the getaway and the payoff. Those are all mostly here but there’s little tension what unfolds as they execute their plan and that the characters, though their motivation remains true, they nonetheless are less than credible as a crew who could pull off this sort of heist. The script too can’t resist a diatribe against government policy and there’s a moment of exposition that plays like a chapter of Politics for Dummies
There’s also a feeling that this could have benefitted from being released pre General Election as the government here are clearly conservative. In fairness it’s a wide open goal with Boris Johnson, the political equivalent of a bowl of custard injected with the DNA of Pol Pot, or Liz Truss the sort of person you wouldn’t trust to sit the right way round on a lavatory and whose inability at anything she turned her hand to ensured she will be a punch line for the rest of her life. But now we have Kier Starmer, with all the charisma of hummus and so vacant faced he would feel at home modelling beige suits in a shop window. And now, with the Tories having failed to see off every pensioner with Covid, he’s going to try to freeze them to death by cutting off their heating benefits.
Running at a brief 80 minutes The Whip trundles along with something of a light weight and not especially credible plot but ends with a decent credits sequence that ties up the plot nicely. But ultimately The Whip is perhaps best suited to streaming rather the big screen.
related feature : Terry Stone talks about his film ‘The Last Heist’ plus Trump masks & our audition for his next film
related feature : Reservoir Dogs – 4K UHD + Blu-Ray steel book
Here’s the Whip trailer…….
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