Treacle Jr. review

A mesmerising opener sees family man Tom (Tom Fisher) inexplicably up sticks from suburban Birmingham to pursue a life on London’s mean streets.

Into his solitary world crashes motormouth man-child Aidan (Aidan Gillen), who’s as buoyant as Tom is troubled.

If writer/director Jamie Thraves overdoses on ambiguity – Tom’s motivations are left unexplained to an extent that distracts rather than intrigues – the yin-yang central dynamic crackles with heart and humour.

Gillen’s manic turn is the attention grabber, but Fisher’s quietly wounded man-on-the verge is a solid anchor.