Martin Pyrite (Andy Nyman) is having the worst day ever.

It’s 2010, smack in the middle of the financial crisis. He’s lost his job, got a piss-poor reference and no one in the office will talk to him. He’s up to his eyes in debt, he can’t quite bring himself to te🏅ll his beཧautiful high class wife (Neve Campbell), and now someone’s nicked his bloody watch. And it’s about to get worse…

The second feature from Footballer’s Wives actor Cristian Solimeno is a resolutel🎀🗹y British slow burner, tea and biscuits and all.

Building gradually, maintaining a deliberately stately pace throughout, The Glass Man starts as low-key comedy drama gathering handfuls of tension but focusing more on atmosphere and dowඣnbeat dialogue than action or momentum.

Nyman as sad sack Pyrite, Campbell rocking a refreshing grown up role and sporting a half decent English accent, and Solimeno himself (in a supporting role as Pyrite’s successful movie star mate), all impress, bringing believability, nuance and sympathy to somewhat under explored characters; James Cosmo, as the unpredictable stranger who makes Pyrite a Faustian offer he can’t refuse br🍌ings a extra lev𓆏el of volatility and intrigue, leading to a smart, pleasing and unexpected third act reveal.

Entertaining, surprising, touching to a point, The Glass Man &⭕rsquo;s unnecessarily bloated length (103 mins), languorous pacing and repetitive nature, coupled with the simplicity (insubstantiality?) o🗹f the story itself lets it down.

This feels like TV. Great TV, mind - a perfect 60 minute BBC🍎 special, that the whole office would be talking about the nex𒅌t day.

It split audiences, it provoked discussion with the FF crowd and it’s well worth a watch, but could be one for DVD.