"You're 'avin' a larff," as they might say on London's mean streets.
There I was thinking Dexter Fletcher was not old enough to be directing a movie. After all, he was only in Press Gang about five years ago, wasn't he?
It has rather upset me to find out that he is 46 and Press Gang finished its run 19 years ago.
And to be fair to Dex, a quick flick through his biography, shows he's been involved in umpteen movies and TV series since.
But he still looks so young, doesn't he?
Anyway, as I mused on whether Fletcher had drunk the elixir of life, I took in what is a really impressive first movie behind the camera.
Wild Bill is based on a gritty London estate but, while it delves into the underbelly of the capital, it has a charm which wins through.
It surrounds the story of Bill Hayward (Charlie Creed-Miles) who has just left prison after an eight-year-stretch for a catalogue of crimes which include a fair degree of violence.
Bill, however, is a changed man and is keen not to go behind bars again.
Keeping on the straight and narrow becomes tricky, however, because he is being tempted by his old crew.
Meanwhile, he quickly discovers his two sons (Will Poulter and Sammy Williams) are home alone in a tower block flat after their mum did a flit to Spain.
Wild Bill is determined to stay of the booze and drugs but the pressures of criminal gangs, being pursued by social services and his newly found fatherly responsibilities begin to tell.
These are exacerbated by dissent from his eldest who still hasn't forgiven him for disappearing from their lives.
Fletcher and Danny King's writing of Wild Bill is so refreshingly different from the urban nonsense of the likes of Payback Season.
It paints the picture of sleazy London without ever bathing in it.
And there are a string of fine performances to back up the storyline with Creed-Miles and Poulter vying for the most impressive.
There is loads more to come from Poulter who has shone like a beacon since his debut in Son Of Rambow.
Overall, it is a movie which is well worth taking in and I'm sorry to see it is already slipping out of multiplexes after just a week (spend your money on this instead of John Carter!).
PS Julia Sawalha (Fletcher's sparring partner in Press Gang) is 43! I feel very very old.
Laughs: a fair few giggles
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 7/10