Film buffs who love mafia dramas should check out this movie led by a Line of Duty star
Neela Debnath Screen Time Reporter
07:58, 30 Dec 2025
Fans of hit BBC series Line of Duty and mafia dramas can’t afford to miss out on one film based on a real-life gangster that debuted back in 2013. This comes after others have enjoyed a mystery thriller based on a best-selling novel, a “brilliant” crime drama and a “gripping” psychological thriller.
The film has received praise on IMDb from audience members, with one person giving it 8/10 stars and titling their review: “Very Good Thriller and Gangster film”. They explained how the film was “held together by a number of outstanding performances” and in particular the lead actor. They concluded: “I judge a film on whether or not it holds my attention and this one did. This film has a good story, strong characters and is well worth watching.”
The gangster movie was based on a true story (Image: NC)READ MORE: Martin Compston shares reason why Line Of Duty ‘ruined’ other jobs as he says cast ‘needed a break’READ MORE: Line of Duty star shares ‘exciting’ update on series 7 after reading scripts
While another gave 10/10 and wrote: “A brilliant movie, beautiful to watch in it’s way, a damn near perfect film in it’s true to life portrayal of the Glaswegian underworld [sic].” The reviewer went on to compare the film to the “highly lauded” American gangster movie but insisted this was far more authentic. They explained: “This is set in the real world of a broken city. Not much to say other than worth your time.” There was also praise for the lead, whose performance was hailed as “compelling.”
Another 8/10 review described it as a “great watch”, with the reviewer saying it was “more interesting” knowing the story was rooted in reality. They concluded: “This British gangster film is well worth a watch. The ending of the film left it open for a sequel. Will go and read the books now.”
Denis Lawson starred in the gangster drama (Image: NC)
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Someone else praised the movie as a “rough, tough crime tale” and waxed lyrical in their review as they wrote: “What a terrific crime movie this one and not in the line of so many other films that we see since nearly twenty years now, such as the Guy Ritchie’s features: SNATCH and so many GOOD FELLAS look like movies, with plenty of humour.” They declared the character study as “flawless”.
Someone else wrote in their 8/10 review how it was an “Absorbing gangster drama – if you don’t get hung up on authenticity”. They went on to say: “Martin Compton’s lead performance is really great, and all the usual Scottish suspects, and a few unusual ones, put in a good turn.”
A 9/10 review praised the central performance as “utterly compelling”, with the person lauding the nuance in the storytelling, which was described as “magnificently told”. The person explained: “There haven’t been many films of this genre emanating from Scotland over the years, certainly not since the passable “Sense of Freedom” in the 70s. This film however, is leagues above anything thats gone before from our shores. Highly recommended [sic].”
Martin Compston took the lead in the gangster film(Image: NC)
The Wee Man was a biopic of reformed Scottish gangster Paul Ferris, with Line of Duty and The Rig’s Martin Compston taking on the role of the real-life figure. The film charted Ferris’ from his early days growing up in Blackhill and getting bullied, before entering a life of crime after being hired by a mob boss as a teenager in the 1970s and 80s.
Along with Compston, The Wee Man also starred Hollywood actor John Hannah of The Mummy and Sliding Doors fame, Patriot Games star Patrick Bergin, New Tricks and Bleak House’s Denis Lawson, Rushmore’s Stephen McCole, and Rita Tushingham. Further casting included Laura McMonagle, Clare Grogan, Joy McAvoy, Andrew Marley, and Alastair Thomson Mills.
The Wee Man was just one of Compston’s pre-Line of Duty parts before the Jed Mercurio police thriller turned him into a household name. Some of his other big projects include the aforementioned The Rig, The Nest, Fear, The Revenge Club, Traces, Our House, In Plain Sight, Vigil and Mayflies, among others.
The Wee Man is streaming on Prime Video now and Tubi for free
