Breakin' the Cycle, a 2005 British film made by two of Hackney's most notorious drug dealers, has a backstory more compelling than the film itself. A rough cut was confiscated by the Met police, and the raw footage was considered lost until recently. The film's origins involve a strange combination of comedic chaos, accidental stabbing, drug money, and a tragic end. The film-makers—Colin Browne, leader of the Love of Money gang, and his right-hand man D—wrote and directed the film while trying to go straight.
A Cast of Celebrities and Gangsters
The cast included rapper Lethal Bizzle and Bradley McIntosh from S Club 7, who hoped to escape his clean pop image. McIntosh played a drug dealer. The film also featured J-Rock and Randy from the hip-hop group Big Brovaz. Browne wrote the script while serving a prison sentence for cocaine smuggling and planned to take the film to Cannes. He was killed shortly after filming ended.
The Podcast That Reveals the Truth
The story is told in the BBC Radio 4 podcast Shadow World: Breakin’ the Cycle, by Lewis Albrow, the film's editor. Over 20 years, Albrow stayed in touch with D, who later served a prison sentence for drug dealing. D now says he wants to finish the film to honour Browne's legacy. Albrow says D came out of prison a changed man and that his answers are deep and truthful.
Filming Amid Real Gang Violence
McIntosh recalls a fun set but scary incidents. While filming on an east London estate, young men threatened to petrol bomb their cars, thinking they were filming a music video. Browne defused the situation but returned with backup. Neither McIntosh nor Albrow knew that Browne and D were still dealing drugs during filming. Albrow says they were running two businesses simultaneously and that making the film was part of their attempt to escape that life.
A Hopeful Message Cut Short
Albrow says the film is not a glorification of gang violence but a heartfelt story about friendship and betrayal. Browne's central philosophy was about escaping one's world. After Browne's death, D was arrested, and the film fell apart. Recently, a specialist resurrected the old hard drive containing the footage, and Albrow has been editing it for a potential release. The principal message, he says, is about changing your life and making amends.
