The lucrative lure that working in the US has for an actor on this side of the pond is an understandable one. And if you've been fortunate/talented enough to find yourself in a number of global box offices successes, there seems even less reason to return home any time soon.

Kudos then to two of the stars of this new British film then, who have done just that. Tim Roth and Cillian Murphy have enjoyed the kind of success that most British actors can only usually drool over the pages of The Stage. Roth has not only rocketed to fame in two Tarantino films (Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction) but has also starred in his own US drama (Lie to Me); and Murphy's appearance in two Danny Boyle films (28 Days Later and Sunshine) as well as popping up in The Dark Knight trilogy as the Scarecrow, certainly hasn't done his career any harm.

And yet despite accomplishments in the US, they have both chosen to appear in this low budget British drama.

In a suburban close, much like any other, live a few families getting on with their lives as best they can. On one side lives solicitor Archie (Roth), his daughter Skunk (Eloise Laurence), son Jed (Bill Milner) and live-in Polish help Kasia (Zana Maranovic). On the other side you have Mr & Mrs Buckley (Denis Law and Clare Burt) and their son Rick (Robert Emms) who has mental health issues. Bang in the middle of them both is Bob Oswald (Rory Kinnear) and his three wayward daughters, who also happen to be the neighbours from hell.

When one of Bob's daughters accuses Rick of raping her, Bob flies into a rage and attacks him; this brutal act is a catalyst for more events to come that ultimately affects them all.

I can't beleive I'm actaully watching a dog. Dancing.

Although this film may include some big named talent, it's the film's twelve year old acting debutante Eloise Laurence who steals the show. Despite coming from a thoroughly theatrical background (her mother is Clare Burt, who also appears in the film, and her father is actor Larry Lamb), Laurence gives a beautifully down to earth portrayal of central character Skunk. There's a tendency among actors of her age to perform the acting equivalent of karaoke (as displayed, rather unfortunately, by the young actresses who play the Oswald sisters in this very film), which can look embarrassingly amateurish on film. But not Laurence. She gives a flawless performance that warrants the pivotal role she has to deliver in the film.

This is no doubt helped by Rufus Norris; this may be his first crack at directing a film, but he's got a growing reputation for being an impressive director of the stage. This is certainly apparent when it comes to getting the most out of his cast, most notably Laurence. His lack of experience in film is more evident elsewhere however.

Although the film has a nice look, it seems at odds with the period of the piece. The film, set in the here and now, is awash with a dated Instagram look of the seventies; The decor of the homes is all terribly retro too, with every neighbour clearly reluctant to modernise. When Skunk pulls out a mobile phone, it's as if she suddenly becomes a character from the future, holding some curious piece of technology. The fact is, the film could have easily have been set in the seventies, without any loss of story, plot or characters, so if Norris wanted it so bad, he really should have set it then.

There's also a slightly fumbling feel to the story. At times, it takes on the appearance of a TV soap, manifesting itself as a southern version of Brookside. This is probably due to the large amount of characters the film attempts to focus on, as stories constantly overlap. There's also a disappointingly predictable nature to the film's outcome.

Roth and Murphy may well be the biggest names in the film, but they're more than happy to offer moderate contributions, by their standards, and seem to enjoy being part of an ensemble cast.

Whether Norris has the bug for filmmaking is unclear, but he's certainly shown some promise, particularly in bringing out the best in his bright new young star, to warrant having an eye kept on for any further adventures in film he may have.