Netflix, out now

Graffiti artists discovers a shocking secret that put them and the ones closest to them in danger.

Babak Anvari directs his own story (screenplay shared with Namsi Khan) about a pair of youths who break into rich people’s houses and spray ‘I Came By’ as graffiti on their living room walls. If you’re thinking ‘good on you!’ at that description then there’s a chance you’ll feel empathy towards the characters played by George MacKay and Percelle Ascott and what happens to them when they pick on former judge Hector Blake (Hugh Bonneville). I didn’t.

The problem with having such unlikable protagonists is that it inevitably takes away some of the power of the antagonist. Through his roles in Paddington and Downton Abbey, Hugh Bonneville is of course a national treasure, and I can see the appeal in playing against type as a mysterious man with a dark secret. Bonneville plays it very cool, thinking that he holds all the cards, and only occasionally showing the cracks. None of this is a spoiler – the poster and blurb warn you up front that he’s the bad guy.

I won’t reveal any more about the plot, suffice to say that secrets are indeed revealed and a game of cat and mouse follows between the evil judge and the graffiti artists (and their families). There’s a few shock moments and it may not play out as you’d expect, but the resolution is deeply unsatisfying for reasons I can’t go into, which derails the movie for me.

Verdict: Solid, well-played psychological thriller with familiar British talent, but fails to generate empathy or deliver the necessary punches. 6/10

Nick Joy