Alice is a young woman (Grace) running from a couple of thugs when she's hit by a cab driven by Whitey (Dyer). She can't remember who she is, so he takes her along to meet the gangster Gonzo (King). Then Whitey learns that her wealthy dad (Hagon) is offering a $10 million reward for her return. And as Alice travels around London following clues to her identity, she meets a variety of eccentric characters. Ultimately, Whitey and Alice converge on a nightclub run by the mob boss Harry (Parker).

The filmmakers develop a lively atmosphere that races through the story as everyone tries to figure out how they can get their hands on that ransom money, while Whitey's only concern is to keep Alice safe. The problem is that all of the genre touches (both crime caper and romantic comedy) make it fairly predictable, even when events take rather nutty turns. So much of the fun to be had is in the visual inventiveness and all of the Alice in Wonderland references.

Certainly, the film looks whizzy and fun, with lush widescreen cinematography, colourfully lurid effects and an increasingly stylised, surreal style that blends Las Vegas with East London. Sometimes this feels somewhat forced--wackiness for wackiness' sake--but it's still fun to watch. On the other hand, Whitey's to-camera chatter gets rather annoying, as does dialog that's delivered like beat poetry. And one obnoxious time-shift plot point stretches our good will to the breaking point.

Still, this is impressively confident filmmaking, with some strong characters emerging from the general mayhem. The plot's anecdotal structure links together a series of outrageous mini-adventures in some visually stunning locations populated by lively characters. And a few garish performances (including juicy cameos from the likes of Ferris, Kaye and Lynn) only add to the film's witty design and chaotic tone.

themes, language, violence, innuendo

24.Jan.10