If you fancy grabbing the chance of watching British screen legend Michael Caine dragged up with his hair in flames, then here it is.

If, on the other hand, you'd rather not see the star of Get Carter, Alfie and The Quiet American struggling to make something out of nothing, steer clear.

Caine plays impoverished thespian O'Malley, who is starring in a threadbare production of Richard III reimagined as Hitler in a Dublin fleapit.

One night he tells young actor Tom (Moran) that he has scheme to defraud some local criminals when they hand over monies owed to a London gangster.

He figures that because the Dublin posse have never met who they're dealing with an imposter (ie Tom) can pose as an intermediary and trouser the moulah.

Tom is naturally sceptical...until his house burns down in a frying pan fire and he agrees to play the part.

He arranges a meet with the Barreller family led by toupeed partiarch Michal Gambon and the handover goes without a hitch.

The only trouble is he falls in love with the daughter Dolores (Headey)¿and then panics when he realises the London hoods are after him.

Written by McPherson from an original story by fellow director Neil Jordan this at least avoids the "Oirishness" that mars recent efforts like Puckoon.

However, the plot spins out of control with a more than able cast stuggling to make any sense of a narrative that ricochets all over the shop.

Moran, a former stand-up who made his debut in Notting Hill, is likeable as the gauche actor while Caine brings hard-earned skills to a role that doesn't really merit them.

Newcomer Mary (Abigail Iversen) makes a decent fist of a youngster wise beyond her nine years - "it's potentially very lucrative" is her verdict on the scam.

But it all ends up a bit of an Irish stew that's been on the boil for too long.

Tim Evans