Gassed Up (film) explained

Gassed Up is a 2023 British film directed by George Amponsah in his feature film debut, and starring Stephen Odubola. It is co-written by Archie Maddocks with Taz Skylar, who also appears in the film. The film premiered at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival.

Premise

A member of a moped street-gang in London, Ash (Odubola) uses his earnings from petty thefts to support his family, but he struggles with the moral complexities of his actions when a jewellery heist alerts an Albanian crime family to his crew.^[1]

Cast

• Stephen Odubola as Ash
• Steve Toussaint as Roy
• Mae Muller as Kelly
• Harry Pinero as Self
• Yung Filly as Self
• Ms Banks as self
• Taz Skylar as Dubz
• Craige Middleburg as Roach
• Jelena Gavrilovic as Shaz

Production

The film was greenlit by Amazon Prime Video in July 2022 to be produced by Rupert Preston and Ed Caffrey of Sunrise Films and Bart Ruspoli and Hester Ruoff of Ascendant Fox. The script was co-written by Archie Maddocks and Taz Skylar who also appears as an Albanian-born criminal. It is directed by George Amponsah.^[2] The term "gassed up"is slang for someone who has delusions of grandeur.^[3]

Casting

Stephen Odubola leads the cast.^[4] Singer and British Eurovision entrant Mae Muller was approached to work on music for the film and appears in the film in her debut acting role.^[5] The film also includes performances by YouTubers Harry Pinero, Yung Filly and Ms Banks.^[6]

Release

The film premiered on 10 October 2023 at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival.^{[7] [8]}

Reception

Tom Davidson in the Evening Standard praised the performance of Odubola, and some of the action shots which use GoPro cameras attached to the gang's mopeds, but considered the film to use too many cliched tropes.^[9] Kevin Maher in The Times praised the "sharp" performances and the "deceptively smart" script, but described the film as "shakiest" when developing the Albanian gangster aspects of the plot and it "diverges from the earthy amphetamine-fuelled Ken Loach energy to something far more glossy and Tinseltown-lite".^[10]

The film won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2023 London Film Festival.^[11]

Notes and References

1. Web site: First trailer for Boiling Point and One Piece stars' new movie. Digital Spy. 23 October 2023. Justin. Harp. 9 October 2023.
2. Web site: July 20, 2022. Amazon Prime Video Greenlights U.K. Action Thriller 'Gassed Up' From 'Hard Stop' Director George Amponsah (EXCLUSIVE). Manori. Ravindran. Variety. 23 October 2023.
3. Web site: 'I wanted to find the humanity in kids seen as scumbags': George Amponsah on his Scorsese-style thriller. The Guardian. Nadia. Khomami. 5 February 2024. 5 February 2024.
4. Web site: Gassed Up Promises All Things Action, Risk, & Redemption. Bustle.com. 23 October 2023. Frances. Stewart. 11 August 2022.
5. Web site: Mae Muller bounces back from Eurovision defeat with album and film role. ITV. 23 October 2023. 9 October 2023.
6. Web site: Gassed Up – TRAILER. Any Good Films. 23 October 2023. Simon. Hooper. 9 October 2023.
7. Web site: IN DIALOGUE WITH ACTOR STEPHEN ODUBOLA: "I WOULD DEFINITELY LIKE TO ACT IN SOMETHING TRIBAL"". Maintown.com. 23 October 2023. 11 October 2023. Massimiliano. Benetazzo.
8. Web site: Priscilla', 'The Zone Of Interest', 'The Killer' among 171 features in BFI London Film Festival 2023 line-up. Screen Daily. 23 October 2023. Ellie. Calnan. 31 August 2023.
9. News: Gassed Up at the BFI London Film Festival: this Top Boy imitation is running on empty. Evening Standard. 23 October 2023. Tom. Davidson. 11 October 2023.
10. News: Kevin. Maher. 10 February 2024. Gassed Up review — a compelling biker crime flick. The Times . 9 February 2024.
11. Web site: 67th BFI London Film Festival brings in record audience and announces LFF Audience Award winners . 30 October 2023 . 2023-11-12 . BFI . en.