About
The first feature film to fictionalise the Rettendon murders of December 1995, released seven years before the original Rise of the Footsoldier. Adapted from a treatment partly inspired by Bernard O’Mahoney’s account of the case, the film changes the names (Pat Tate becomes Jason Locke, the Rettendon location becomes a fictionalised Essex setting) but the story arc, the firm structure and the violent climax all map directly to the real events.
Cast
- Sean Bean as Jason Locke (Pat Tate analogue)
- Tom Wilkinson as John Dyke (the ageing Mr Big)
- Alex Kingston as Lisa Locke
- Charlie Creed-Miles as Billy Reynolds, the young taxi driver / narrator
- Holly Davidson, Michael McKell, Larry Lamb
Why it matters
A different tonal register from the Rise of the Footsoldier franchise. Where the ROTF films are loud, brutal and Carlton Leach-perspective, Essex Boys is colder and observed from outside, with Creed-Miles’ driver as the audience surrogate. The two films make a fascinating double bill.