The Agent review

Stephen Parker’s (Stephen Kennedy) last novel bombed. So why should his agent (William Beck) bother selling his latest? Because the pissed-off writer’s packing a gun – albeit a “metaphorical” one.

Lesley Manning’s witty exposé of the book world’s corrupted soul is Swimming With Literary Sharks.

While unmistakably a stage adaptation, Martin Wagner’s droll dialogue makes the cutand- thrust reasonably dynamic, even if Wagner’s barbs about the parlous state of modern publishing will surprise no one.

Still, the film’s DIY ethic, HD-shot for £26,000 and independently distributed, leads by example in cutting out the middle-men.