Bigga Than Ben: A Russians's Guide to Ripping Off London

Based on the diaries of two real-life Russian immigrants, Bigga Than Ben follows Spiker (Chadov) and Cobakka (Barnes), as they come to London for what they think will be a better life. Early attempts to get rich through honest means come to little, forcing them to turn to shoplifting, mobile phone scams and cheque fraud as they try to survive on the unforgiving streets. Bigga Than Ben is witty, fresh and very much an equal opportunities offender – prepare to be satirically jabbed whether you’re British, Russian or American, white or brown, landlord or terrorist. Much of the charm comes from the cheeky presence and interplay of the two leads, so that even though they're a couple of rogues, we’re on their side throughout, never more than in a quite glorious scene where they discover the joys of supermarket cashback: “I don’t know lunatic who invented this system that allows you to earn £50 a day,” says Cobakka. It’s only in the latter stages when the drugs and the drama become heavier that it loses its lightness of touch and as a result, its focus, but there are more than enough positives to compensate. [Paul Greenwood]