Wild Bill (2011)

Drama

Director: Dexter Fletcher
Writers: Danny King, Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter, Sammy Williams, Iwan Rheon

"He's the meanest wanker in town"

A well-written, gripping and intense British crime-drama-comedy that marks the promising directorial debut of formal child actor Dexter Fletcher.

After spending 8 years in jail, ex-gangster Bill finds a challenge in reconnecting with his two sons, 15-year-old Dean (Will Poulter, The Maze Runner, We're the Millers) and 11-year-old Jimmy, whom he finds living alone in an apartment in south-east London, abandoned by their mother. Dealing with rejection from his older son, and with child services, who brand him as an unfit father, he also faces his "old friends," who want to pull him back in the crime game, which he is determined to stay away from.

Plot summary from IMDb: Out on parole after 8 years inside Bill Hayward returns home to find his now 11 and 15 year old sons abandoned by their mother and fending for themselves. Unwilling to play Dad, an uncaring Bill is determined to move on. Although Dean the older boy has found a job and is doing his best to be a father to his younger brother Jimmy, the arrival of Bill has brought them to the attention of social services. With the danger of being put into care looming, Dean forces his feckless Dad to stay by threatening to grass him up for dealing. If there's one thing Bill doesn't want it's to go back to prison. He reluctantly agrees to stay for a week o help fool social services that the boys are being cared for. Having never really grown up himself Bill quickly connects with Jimmy and through this new bond starts to realize what he's been missing. He has a family, a place in the world. He is a father. However, their happy family set up is short lived when Jimmy gets into trouble with Bill's dangerous old cohorts. To sort it out would breach the terms of his license and risk sending him back to Jail. Bill's next steps will show what sort of a Dad he wants to be. A good one or a free one.

Awards: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 6 nominations.
Runtime: 98 min
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