The Business (2005) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is set in two primary locations: South East London during the grim Thatcher era, and the Costa del Sol in Spain. The story begins in the working-class streets of London before shifting to the sun-soaked expatriate playground where Charlie runs his nightclub. The stark contrast between dreary urban London and glamorous Spanish resorts highlights the lure of quick money and high life.

• south east london
• costa del sol
• setting
• spain
• england

The film is set in 1984, during the Thatcher era in Britain. This specific time period is significant because it captures the economic hardship of the period where unemployment and aspiration collide, driving young men like Frankie toward criminal enterprise. The era's social tensions fuel the grit, paranoia, and violence that drive the plot.

• 1984
• thatcher era
• time period
• 1980s
• britain

The movie explores several interconnected themes: greed, which drives the characters from modest ambitions to extravagant criminal enterprise; betrayal, as trust frays and partners plot against each other; escape, representing Frankie's dream of leaving his dreary London life; and power, showing the conflict between illegal enterprise and public authority. These themes work together to depict the rise and brutal fall of the criminal crew.

• themes
• greed
• betrayal
• escape
• power
• crime

The greed theme propels Frankie and Charlie from modest ambitions to an extravagant criminal empire dealing cannabis and cocaine. As profits mount, wealth becomes a lure that erodes trust and amplifies paranoia among the crew. The pursuit of money ultimately catalyzes their downfall and the violence that surrounds their operation.

• greed
• money
• drug trade
• cocaine
• cannabis
• wealth

Betrayal is central to the film's conclusion, as trust frays and partners plot and disguise their true intentions. Carly manipulates loyalties while pursuing her own gain, and Sammy's volatile temperament combined with romantic tension with Carly heightens the risk of betrayal. The film culminates in a fatal twist where buried treachery decides who survives.

Foreshadowing: Early scenes establish Carly's manipulative nature, foreshadowing her later betrayals.

• betrayal
• loyalty
• carly
• sammy
• trust
• treachery

Frankie is a young, aimless Londoner from South East London who dreams of being somebody. After a violent incident with his mother's abusive boyfriend, he flees to Spain where he delivers a package to gangster Charlie, who hires him as a driver. He enters a world of fast cars, women, and excess, taking bigger risks as he becomes involved in cannabis and cocaine trafficking. The ending hints he heads to Hollywood, embodying his hard-won but precarious independence.

• frankie
• danny dyer
• protagonist
• driver
• criminal

Charlie is a suave expatriate who runs a nightclub on the Costa del Sol and lures Frankie into the criminal world. He exerts control and provides the glamour and money that drive the crew. His appetite for wealth blinds him to loyalty and risk, setting off the infighting that ends their alliance. His power wanes as law enforcement closes in and rivals rise.

• charlie
• tamer Hassan
• gangster
• nightclub
• boss

Sammy is a volatile, psychopathic enforcer who wields violence to protect the group's interests. He loyally serves Charlie but grows paranoid as the cocaine trade expands and Carly's machinations unfold. His aggression and quick temper heighten the risks for everyone around him. He is fatally shot by Spanish Navy patrolmen during a climactic confrontation.

• sammy
• geoff bell
• enforcer
• violence
• death

Carly is a seductive and calculating figure who uses charm to manipulate both Frankie and Sammy. She becomes a disruptive force, pursuing money and status while playing both sides. Her actions deepen the crew's fragility and trigger betrayals that steer the plot toward violence. Her ultimate plans contribute to the gang's unraveling.

• carly
• georgina chapman
• manipulation
• betrayal
• female lead

The stark contrast between dreary South East London and glamorous Costa del Sol highlights the central lure of quick money and high life. London represents the grim reality of Thatcher-era poverty and limited opportunities, while Spain represents the fantasy of wealth and freedom that draws Frankie into crime. This contrast underscores the film's exploration of escape and the false promises of criminal success.

• london
• spain
• contrast
• setting
• thatcher
• escape

Frankie's dream of escape frames the entire narrative, moving from a dreary London life to the risk and glamour of crime on the Costa del Sol. He clings to the idea that wealth and fame will liberate him from his origins. The ending suggests only a solitary, uncertain path to freedom as he drives off into the sunset, leaving destruction behind.

• escape
• freedom
• frankie
• hollywood
• dream

The mayor represents the reach and limits of authority in a crime-plagued city. He initially tolerates the cannabis trade but clamps down on cocaine, destabilizing Charlie's operation. His crackdown precipitates rivalries, violence, and the crew's decline. The film shows how political power can disrupt criminal networks as quickly as it can support them, illustrating the fragile balance between law and crime.

• mayor
• arturo venegas
• authority
• police
• power
• crackdown