1. Nil by Mouth (1997)
Though
Nil by Mouth is absolutely best known for its potty mouth, totalling 428 uses of the word "fuck", and a record-breaking 82 uses of "cunt", Gary Oldman's writer-director debut is an unforgettably brutal film, topped by Winstone's searing performance as Ray, an abusive husband whose addictions to drink and drugs are only compounded by his preference for gambling. Perhaps one of the most memorable exchanges in the film occurs not through violence, but the shocking lack of it; Ray eyes his wife Valerie (Kathy Burke) playing pool with another man, but he doesn't react with a violent outburst as one might expect. Rather, he remains quiet and composed, they go home, and go to bed, and everything erupts in the morning... Like the very best tough-man performances, Winstone's is suffused with a complex psychological undercurrent; the longer the film goes on, the more insight we get into his smouldering guilt and helplessness against his own callous rage. It's a difficult role to pull off without making the character completely contemptible, and though that often is the case, the subtle character inflexions that Winstone infuses make it one well worth a watch, if you've got a strong stomach, that is.