Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- volatile
- kinetic
- crime movie night
- action double feature
What critics said
Critics found Ray Winstone charismatic and the action visually polished, but considered the plot generic, underdeveloped, and weakened by an overbearing score.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jack Regan repeatedly disobeys orders and uses unsubtle methods, placing his unit in conflict with internal affairs.
Regan’s affair with Nancy, the wife of internal affairs officer Lewis, compounds the department’s professional tensions.
Critics specifically praised the crisp photography, while the film stages action through central London streets and the National Gallery.
The Sweeney department, internal affairs conflict, police loyalty, and London locations anchor the film in British policing traditions.
Films like The Sweeney, and why
The Departed
gritty british crime action, morally compromised policing, and hard-edged urban shootouts
Layer Cake
british gangster atmosphere, criminal investigations, and kinetic confrontations
Training Day
stylized police corruption, violent crime plotting, and forceful lead performance
The Long Good Friday
ensemble british crime drama with tough-guy bravado and procedural tension
Movie Details
- Director
- Nick Love
- Release Date
- 2012-09-11
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (303)
Cast
- Ray Winstone
- Plan B
- Hayley Atwell
- Damian Lewis
- Alan Ford
- Steven Mackintosh
- Paul Anderson
- Caroline Chikezie
- Allen Leech
- Ronnie Fox
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Sweeney about?
- A volatile London detective risks his career and department’s survival while pursuing bank robbers through a corrupting web of loyalty and betrayal.
- What is The Sweeney like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Sweeney as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Sweeney violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Sweeney as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Sweeney?
- Critics found Ray Winstone charismatic and the action visually polished, but considered the plot generic, underdeveloped, and weakened by an overbearing score.
- Which films are like The Sweeney?
- Films with a similar feel include The Departed, Layer Cake, Training Day, and The Long Good Friday.
- How long is The Sweeney?
- The Sweeney runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Sweeney?
- In United States, The Sweeney is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
