Shifty, a young crack cocaine dealer in London, sees his life quickly spiral out of control when his best friend returns home.

Stalked by a customer desperate to score at all costs, and with his family about to turn their back on him for good, Shifty must out-run and out-smart a rival drug dealer, intent on setting him up for a big fall.

As his long time friend Chris, confronts the dark past he left behind him, Shifty is forced to face up to the violent future he's hurtling towards....

A stunning British drama that focuses on people rather than drugs, is what Shifty is all about. Having the main protagonist be a Muslim, is a marvellous move from the makers, as it adds a whole new angle, to what could have been another average Drug film.

Everyone puts in a bravura performance, and all the way through the film, you feel Shifty's 'point of no return' as you see his life start to spiral out of control.

The ending likes to think that it is cleverer than what it actually is, and it feels a little like the end of 'Silence of the lambs', but it's still an incredible film.

Funny in parts, depressing in others, it shows desperation of addicts, and also empathy for people who take drugs to escape reality, and than people facing up to reality.

A dull and lifeless addition to the British gangster cycle. Shifty and his buddy Chris are a couple of dead-eyed deadbeats who deal drugs and spend their days either fighting with friends and family or trying to stay out of trouble. The film that follows is as depressingly grim and predictable as it is uninteresting.

One of the recurrent problems with movies like this is that the writer and director is the same person, in this case Eran Creevy. I personally believe that scriptwriting and direction are two very different beasts that require very different skills and talents. Middling efforts in both respects result in middling films. Creevy should choose one role or the other, not attempt both. Invariably these "labour of love" productions smack of self-importance and self-indulgence, as is the case here.

It's not all bad, and there are certain things in the film's favour; the camera-work is pretty decent by genre standards, with none of that blighting shaky-cam rubbish, and the pacing is pretty good; SHIFTY keeps you watching, even if it doesn't involve you. But the characterisation is so circumstantial and clichéd that it's impossible to immerse yourself in the world of the characters.

Riz Ahmed and Daniel Mays have both contributed some impressive acting in other, better films, but they're lifeless and on autopilot here. I'm not quite sure why Jason Flemyng and Francesca Annis have been cast in supporting roles that could have been played by anyone, unless it's for name value alone. It's not enough. SHIFTY is an instantly forgettable move in a quagmire of similar efforts.

Shifty (Riz Ahmed) is a low level drug dealer living under his older brother. His former best friend Chris (Daniel Mays) returns into his life. As Shifty struggles against a competitor in the drug world, Chris follows him around. They reconnect and confront their past.

This is a character driven indie that excels more on the character work. While I do recognize Daniel Mays, this is all about watching Riz Ahmed before his recent breakout performances. He has a great quiet intensity that surprises. When he confronts the young couple for their loud music, he has such a cold steadiness that he becomes mesmerizing. The plot isn't much and this isn't anything exceptional other some pretty compelling performances.