UNITED KINGDOM: Cast and crew of new British credit card fraud film "Plastic" deny it romanticises criminality

Record ID: 221330

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Cast and crew of new British credit card fraud film "Plastic" deny it romanticises criminality
  • Date: 29th April 2014
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (APRIL 29, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DIRECTOR AND SCREENWRITER, JULIAN GILBEY, SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS, POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR AND SCREENWRITER, JULIAN GILBEY, SAYING: "The big villains of this film, if you like, they're the banks in general - we had that as sort of the big antagonist of the piece. But, you know, when you watch the film you realise they did their time, it didn't work out, I'm not going to say too much to ruin too much. You know I've had real chats with the real guys. You know, the other thing I will add is that the real story's in 1997, so the credit card fraud back then, it was much more disguises etc, now it's just people in front of a computer. But you know I wanted to have a lot of fun with the story, no I don't think, I mean you'll get the odd person that comes out and goes "is that morally questionable, people making money out of crime"." TECHNICAL CONSULTANT AND SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR "PLASTIC", SAQIB AHMED, WALKING ON RED CARPET AHMED TALKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) TECHNICAL CONSULTANT AND SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR "PLASTIC", SAQIB AHMED, SAYING: "In this day and age, you know young people, it's so difficult, it's so difficult to get a mortgage, to get credit, and at that time when we were young, it was very difficult. I'm not trying to make excuses, you know. I should have maybe just put my head down and studied, but at that time, there was opportunity, and I took it, you know."
  • Embargoed: 14th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA29ORMCTWXT1IP72ADUTXM4O1B
  • Story Text: Some of the leading figures of the next generation of British actors hit the red carpet in London's West End on Tuesday (April 29) at the world premiere of "Plastic", a film based on the true story of young Britons who commit millions of pounds worth of credit card fraud, accidentally ripping off a gangster in the process.
    BAFTA Rising Star winner Will Poulter was joined on the red carpet by "Downton Abbey's" Ed Speleers at the premiere of the gritty heist movie, which tells the story of a group of university students who turn to crime after being faced with a dour economy and poor job prospects in a post-financial crisis UK.
    The thriller sees Poulter and Speleer joined by "Game of Thrones'" Alfie Allen, as well as young British actors Sebastian de Souza and Emma Rigby, who jet off to Miami to repay a notorious gangster ten times the amount they stole from him.
    Speaking at the London premiere, Poulter said the motivations of the characters were ones he and others hoped would at least see audiences appreciate their motivations.
    "This sort of group of young people are all driven to these kinds of drastic, criminal measures, because they all feel that they were kind of slightly, feel like they're almost slightly the victims of criminal behaviour in a way, and listen I'm not endorsing credit card fraud, but it is interesting to see that approach, and in a way you do - you don't in any way justify it, but I think you can certainly empathise with elements of it," he said.
    Director and co-writer of the screenplay, Julian Gilbey, said the film was not trying to romanticise the criminality of the sort of fraud being perpetrated by the main characters, but instead shine a light on the pressure they and current generations of young people are under.
    "The big villains of this film, if you like, they're the banks in general - we had that as sort of the big antagonist of the piece," he told Reuters Television.
    "But, you know, when you watch the film you realise they did their time, it didn't work out, I'm not going to say too much to ruin too much. You know I've had real chats with the real guys," he said, referring to the technical consultancy of Saqib Ahmed, who orchestrated the real credit card fraud scheme the film's story was based on, albeit nearly ten years earlier than the film was set.
    "You know, the other thing I will add is that the real story's in 1997, so the credit card fraud back then, it was much more disguises etc, now it's just people in front of a computer," he said.
    "But you know I wanted to have a lot of fun with the story, no I don't think, I mean you'll get the odd person that comes out and goes "is that morally questionable, people making money out of crime"," he added.
    Ahmed, walking the red carpet along with the cast and crew, said there are real reasons some will turn to criminal acts to try and make money.
    "In this day and age, you know young people, it's so difficult, it's so difficult to get a mortgage, to get credit, and at that time when we were young, it was very difficult," he told Reuters TV.
    "I'm not trying to make excuses, you know. I should have maybe just put my head down and studied, but at that time, there was opportunity, and I took it, you know," he said.
    Speleers, who plays the main character Sam - the orchestrater of the fraudulent schemes - says he wanted to make a deliberate move away from the work on Downton Abbey he might be better known for.
    "For me it's just about learning and getting the chance to work with new people all the time and finding new ways of expressing myself and find something in the script that can entice me and that I can go "well I haven't done that before, let's try that one out" and it's a bit of trial and error sometimes, but you kind of, I really enjoy what I do, I'm very lucky to do what I do."
    Poulter was awarded the EE Rising Star award at the BAFTA awards earlier this year, but said there was no more pressure in performing now as a result.
    "I don't put any pressure on myself to get awards really because I just feel like that detracts you from the main goal which is just to put out the best performance you possibly can, so that's going to remain my focus, and if awards come that's a lovely bonus."
    The film's cast is rounded out by veteran actors Thomas Kretschmann, known for his roles in "Resident Evil" and "U-571," and Graham McTavish for his part in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey."
    Rumours surrounding the casting of the next Star Wars movie, Episode VII, to be directed by JJ Abrams, suggested Speleer might be involved, though he refused to confirm or deny them.
    "He makes some really good movies," he told Reuters TV.
    "I think any young man would be a fool to say they wouldn't be very interested to be a part of something like that," he added.
    "Plastic" opens in the UK on Wednesday (April 30).
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