A film by Mike Leigh. A scathing, occasionally brilliant look at Britain in the post-Thatcher era, starring David Thewlis as Johnny, an unemployed layabout with a philosophical bent and a nasty edge. In the opening scene, he's committing rape, and before the credits even roll, he's also stolen a car to flee from Manchester to the London home of an old girlfriend (Lesley Sharp). The film's loose, sprawling narrative follows Johnny as he randomly makes his way through the streets of London, encountering a homeless Scottish couple, a nightwatchman and a series of women whom he charms and discards. He lives defiantly outside of the system, refusing to conform to the demands of anyone (including himself). Thewlis is remarkable - his Johnny is by turns brilliant and ridiculous, sympathetic and loathsome, and the film follows his lead on the road to nowhere.