SYNOPSIS:

At a travellers camp (Irish gypies) in Essex, England, in the early morning hours of December 16th, 2005, traveller Tommy Barrett stands guard outside the caravan of his cousin and employer, Mac McGreery. Tommy is soon greeted by his brother Finn, who has brought the spoils of a recent theft – a sculpture entitled Reclining Figure by the artist Henry Moore. Mac plans to sell the work of art to a scrap dealer named Serg Krychevsky. An aspiring artist, Tommy is appalled at the loss of the beautiful and valuable object. Behind Mac and Finn’s back, he makes a deal with Serg. If he can acquire £3,000 in 3 days time, Serg will sell him the sculpture so that he can return it to the museum from which it was stolen. The next day, after failed attempt at procuring a bank loan, Tommy goes to the Pig & Nickel pub where his girlfriend Carrie works, to distract himself with whiskey and a football game. When Carrie demands to know the reason for Tommy’s distress, he shares with her his pursuit of Reclining Figure, but keeps her in the dark about his double-cross of Mac and Finn. Soon after, Tommy gets winds Jimmy Johnson, a traveller and an old pro at stealing artwork, is in town. Knowing that Jimm has connections to Scotland Yard, Tommy tracks Jimmy down. After some discussion and a mention of a £100,000 reward for information leading to the sculpture, Jimmy agrees to help Tommy. Jimmy visits the office of Charlie Hill, lead detective on the Henry Moore case, the following morning. Charlie insists that Jimmy must give up his source or lead Scotland Yard to the perpetrator of the crime before he can release the reward money. Jimmy refuses to give up Tommy. Instead, he reminds Charlie of the important role he’s played in helping Scotland Yard recover stolen artwork in the past and conveys the validity of the information he has about the Henry Moore statue. Finally, Charlie agrees to speak to his superiors about Jimmy’s proposal. After Jimmy leaves, Charlie receives word that evidence relating to the theft has been found near a traveller settlement. Charlie arrives at the settlement and interviews the inhabitants. This action enrages Mac, who immediately dispatches Finn to find out who snitched. In the wake of this development, Tommy desperately calls Jimmy, who reassures him that the statue will soon be safe. The stakes begin to build as Finn, unable to find the informant and unwilling to believe that it might be his own brother, continues to turn up with nothing to offer Mac. Further enraged by Finn’s perceived incompetence, Mac accuses Finn of betraying him and threatens to kill Finn. Tommy comes to Finn’s rescue by suggesting other possible suspects. Finn is not appreciative of Tommy’s interference. The following day, Jimmy visits Charlie again, feeling certain that Scotland Yard will work with him to secure the sculpture. But he is disappointed to find that this isn’t so and becomes alarmed when he discovers that Charlie was the police officer who had visited the settlement. Upon leaving Charlie’s office, Jimmy regretfully informs Mac that Tommy was the snitch all along. Back at the travellers camp, Finn has used every method, including violence, to discover the informant, but to no end. He and Tommy discuss what other lives they could lead besides that of criminals. At the conclusion of the discussion, Finn accuses Tommy of being the snitch, which Tommy denies. Tommy’s desperation grows. Following a bank robbery, Tommy visits the Pig & Nickel. He calls Serg Krychevsky to inform him that he has secured the £3,000 needed to ransom the sculpture. But it’s too late – the sculpture has been melted down for scrap. Devastated, Tommy tells Carrie what he has done. Understanding that Tommy’s double-cross of Mac would have deadly consequences, Carrie suggests that they flee the traveller settlement and begin a new life together. Tommy happily agrees, but his joy is cut short by a visit from Mac and Finn, who have come to take their revenge.