Currently in production, with locations in the UK and Belgium, is a period caper called The Hot Potato. It’s not literally about a potato (shame, I know) but here’s the official synopsis to put me right on that and set you up correctly:
London. The East End. 1969. One evening, a government research establishment explodes; an event that eventually leads to our heroes, Kenny (Ray Winstone) and Danny (Jack Huston), being in possession of a large lump of Uranium, THE HOT POTATO, plunging them into the threat of possible radioactive contamination!
With nothing to lose and few options available, Kenny and Danny decide to investigate the value of the ‘potato’ and, to their surprise, find that there is seemingly no end of people willing to pay a high price for it. With this knowledge, Kenny and Danny – ably assisted by Danny’s girlfriend, the beautiful and surprising Carole (Lois Winstone) and shadowed at every turn by the unshakable Harry Fisher (Colm Meaney), right-hand-man of local criminal big-shots – launch themselves on an increasingly dangerous and comedic adventure, in which they meet a diverse cast of colourful characters, all desperate to buy.
As offer and counter-offer give way to double and triple cross, the story twists and turns on the way to the exciting and unexpected finale. But who wins and who loses? And what happens to THE HOT POTATO?
This will stand or fall on execution. Worst case scenario, we’ve got a proxy bit of Guy Ritchie on our hands
There’s a handful of other known names in the cast, and they’re an interesting bunch:
David Harewood, John Lynch, Phil Davis, Derren Nesbitt, Maike Biitis, Jean Louis Sbille and Louise Redknapp.
I have to admit I’m quite bemused by the casting of Redknapp. She was a so-so singer and is now a so-so TV presenter. Third time lucky, maybe?