The Big Ugly
A London mob investment in West Virginia oil unleashes a brutal collision between criminal loyalty, dirty money, and Appalachian violence.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- boozy
- confrontational
- crime movie night
- action thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an uneven and familiar crime-action hybrid whose ambition and atmosphere were undermined by predictable plotting and thin characterization.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The central scheme connects London mob investment with an oil deal in West Virginia.
The plot foregrounds blood oaths, brotherhood, and mob obligations as drivers of violence.
The critical description highlights punches, heavy drinking, and overt talk of blood bonds and brotherhood.
Anglo-American relations deteriorate after London mob bosses enter the West Virginia oil venture.
Films like The Big Ugly, and why
Layer Cake
British gangster crime, violent criminal negotiations, and masculine loyalty conflicts
Blue Ruin
Southern crime atmosphere, escalating violence, and morally compromised outsiders
The Gentlemen
stylized action, hard-edged criminals, and shifting alliances between underworld figures
Hell or High Water
rural American criminal networks, revenge-driven tension, and bleak violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Scott Wiper
- Release Date
- 2020-07-24
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 5.0 / 10 (99)
Cast
- Vinnie Jones
- Malcolm McDowell
- Ron Perlman
- Nicholas Braun
- Leven Rambin
- Lenora Crichlow
- Brandon Sklenar
- Elyse Levesque
- Bruce McGill
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Big Ugly about?
- A London mob investment in West Virginia oil unleashes a brutal collision between criminal loyalty, dirty money, and Appalachian violence.
- What is The Big Ugly like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Big Ugly as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Big Ugly violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Big Ugly as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Big Ugly?
- Critics broadly found the film an uneven and familiar crime-action hybrid whose ambition and atmosphere were undermined by predictable plotting and thin characterization.
- Which films are like The Big Ugly?
- Films with a similar feel include Layer Cake, Blue Ruin, The Gentlemen, and Hell or High Water.
- How long is The Big Ugly?
- The Big Ugly runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Big Ugly?
- In United States, The Big Ugly streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
