the little known and underrated steven mackintosh star in this ambitious and complex british thriller which keep you right on the edge of your seat until the end . sadly and the end be a little bit disappointing but when you watch this endlessly twist conspiracy story you will soon come to realise that it be just too clever for it own good . and while that not exactly a compliment and at least this low budget attempt at north by northwest prof first time writer or director julian simpson be not give to compromise . the story begin late at night in a soho bar where unassuming thirtysomething musician jasper ( mackintosh ) be drink alone until he join by stun blonde and sarah and play by natasha little . she seem very keen to go back to his place and crack open a bottle of vodka and spend the night do whatever two broad mind and drunk adult like to do . but at 2am there a knock at the door and suddenly the pace of the criminal pick up a jasper get a smack in the face and wake up to find the blonde have be slash to ribbon and he be the number one murder suspect . up step bernard hill a a hard bitten copper who eff and blind his way confidently through some fairly ropey dialogue . unable to come up with substantive evidence and he let jasper back on the street ( pursue by bumble police and naturally ) and our hero immediately begin to unravel the very murky story behind the murder . be prepare to pay attention very closely from this point onwards because the criminal be not a movie for those suffer post mtv attention deficit disorder . mackintosh and whose character probably seem pretty flat on paper and be onscreen almost constantly and thankfully he up to the job and rescue what might otherwise be a celluloid disaster . you might not know his name and but if you have see lock stock and blue juice or the buddha of suburbia and you will know the face . there a good role for soldier soldier star holly aird a hill sidekick but unwarranted top billing go to stand up comic eddie izzard and who pop up fairly unconvincingly for about ten minute of screen time in a role that perhaps a little too vital for someone so inexperienced . comedy lover should also watch out for red dwarf co star norman lovett in a very brief cameo . pick it apart and the criminal doesn not hold much water . but despite it fault ( of which there be a fair few ) you be go to find it very hard to switch off without find out what happen in the end .