Brown Paper Bag

As someone who worked for the best part of three decades in an industry where daily boozing was commonplace, I found there to be something quite honest about this representation of the culture of casual drinking that existed in the UK. Nobody ever thinks they are drinking too much, and for a lot of people with issues around their confidence then a glass or six is often the only way they can relax, feel included or even loved. “Reggie” (Ronnie Fox) and long-term girlfriend “Ronnie” (Jo McInnes) are now having to deal with her state of affairs where she can no longer easily distinguish between what is real and what is in her mind. This all comes to an head when she imagines her boyfriend snogging the barmaid (Den Woods) and lashes out. Intercut with this storyline are some images of him at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings where he claims he has no problems with his drinking but is only there in the hope that she might show up. Latterly, we discover where she really is, but is he going to acknowledge his own addiction? I’ve no idea if writer Geoff Thompson has any personal skin in this game, but his writing seems to hit the nail on the head more often than not as what starts off as a few jars of an afternoon becomes something uncontrollably violent, toxic and often tragic. Fox plays his role in a convincing, cheeky chappie, style and though this is not an easy watch, it might make people think for a few seconds about just how pervasive yet socially acceptable excessive consumption of the odd dram, or two, can be.