The Sweeney

The Sweeney is a 2012 British action drama film, inspired by the 1970s The Sweeney, the British television police drama of the same name, but set in contemporary London. Written and directed by Nick Love, from a story by Love and John Hodge, it is based on the characters created by Ian Kennedy Martin. It stars Ray Winstone as Jack Regan, Plan B (credited as Ben Drew) as George Carter, and Damian Lewis as Frank Haskins, with Allen Leech and Hayley Atwell. The story focuses on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police. The Squad's purpose is to investigate commercial armed robberies, along with the prevention and investigation of other serious armed crime. The title is derived from Sweeney Todd, which is Cockney rhyming slang for "Flying Squad". The film was released on 12 September 2012. Plot Flying Squad officers D.I Jack Regan (Ray Winstone) and D.C George Carter (Ben Drew) arrive at the scene of a warehouse robbery; four armed men are attempting to steal gold bars. After both capture the robbers, Regan takes some of the gold bars to give to his informant Harry (Alan Ford). D.C.I Ivan Lewis (Steven Mackintosh) from The Mets Professional Standards Department (similar to the U.S police Internal Affairs) begins scrutinising Regan's activities, unaware of Regan's affair with Lewis' estranged wife, fellow Flying Squad officer Nancy Lewis (Hayley Atwell). Regan receives information about a planned robbery on a Private Bank, but ceases surveillance when an armed robbery at an insignificant jewellers places £200,000 of jewellery in the hands of a dangerous criminal, and leaves one civilian dead. Regan suspects long-time adversary Francis Allen (Paul Anderson) is responsible, but cannot disprove Allen was out of the country. After evidence links violent Serbian criminal Makin Trebolt (Kevin Michaels) to the crime, Regan grudgingly releases Allen.