Will Jewell’s Brecon Beacons based Welsh thriller Concrete Plans is as enthralling as it is dramatic.
A Violent Confrontation in Concrete Plans
Concrete Plans follows a gang of builders with differing backgrounds and temperaments who take on a renovation job at remote Welsh manor house, owned by a short-tempered landowner.
As the job progresses, tempers fray between the landowner and the men, as well as between the men themselves. It soon becomes apparent there is a cash flow problem. A violent confrontation leads to extreme behaviour and resentments rising to the surface.
Stark Setting of Concrete Plans A Good Place For Anything Goes Scenario
The stark remote setting of Concrete Plans puts Will Jewell’s thriller in a good place for an anything goes scenario, as events begin to unfold around the manor house.
It soon becomes clear that builder foreman Bob (Steve Speirs) has his hands full with a mixed bunch of builders to work with. Among them the seasoned but dependable, Dave (William Thomas), a good-natured Ukranian, Viktor (Goran Bogdan), the bigoted troublemaker, Jim (Chris Reilly) and Bob’s easily influenced nephew, Steve (Charley Palmer Rothwell).
Striking a spark to an inferno is landowner, Simon (Kevin Guthrie) a character that is frequently on a short-fuse and only seemingly calmed by the presence of his fiancé Amy (Amber Rose Revah). Amy’s interest in Viktor however does not go well with Simon’s green-eyed envy and does not help towards calming the inevitable conflict.
Far From Predicatable Outcome For Characters
The unfolding story is well-balanced and brilliantly performed by all concerned. You get the impression very quickly that things are not going to end well for certain characters, but the outcome for all individuals is far from predictable.
Steve Speirs is wonderfully cast as Bob, the peacemaker who is far from blessed with the unfolding events and whom you desperately want to see get a happy ending.
Charley Palmer Rothwell possibly makes the most interesting transition in the film. He starts off a whingy teenager who complains he cannot get Facebook on his phone due to lack of signal at the Manor House to becoming a foreboding presence with psychopathic tendencies.
I really enjoyed Goran Bogdan’s Viktor; the tragic hero caught up in a situation he wants no part of, just because he wants to earn money to send home to his young daughter. His scenes opposite the wonderful Amber Rose Revah’s Amy are particularly enjoyable and have a glorious cat and mouse feel to them when pursued by Chris Reilly’s Jim towards the films climax.
Concrete Plans – A Late Night Must-See
Gripping, energetic and embellished with many twists and turns, Concrete Plans killer casting and stark setting topped with Paul Hartnoll’s atmospheric soundtrack make this a late night must-see.
- Concrete Plans has a 15-certificate rating and runs for 91 minutes and released via Signature Entertainment on Digital HD.
- Interview with Paul Hartnoll about Concrete Plans soundtrack
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