AllMovie

A bullied Glasgow teen gains a reputation for violence after striking back at his childhood tormentors, and rises up through the city's brutal underworld in this crime drama based on the true story of former gangster Paul Ferris. As a young boy, Ferris suffered at the hands of neighborhood bullies. Realizing that only he possesses the power to take control of his own fate, Ferris ignores his father's repeated warnings about taking the path of violence, and teaches his oppressors a painful lesson in humility. As a result, Glasgow crime boss Arthur "The Godfather" Thompson takes Ferris under his wing. Trouble stirs, however, when Thompson's son "Fat Boy" Thomas, Jr. grows envious of his father's affections toward the newest member of the family. Recognizing this rivalry, The Godfather's chief nemesis, Tam McGraw pits the two young, volatile gangsters against one another. With the police on McGraw's payroll, Ferris soon ends up in prison. Meanwhile, McGraw implicates Ferris in the killing of "Fat Boy", prompting The Godfather to do everything in his power to seek bitter revenge.