'Mint' review: 'Romeo & Juliet' but make it Scottish crime

From creator, writer, director Charlotte Regan (Scrapper), BBC series Mint is undeniably a modern take on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet: two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Glasgow, where we lay our scene. Leaning on the Bard's star-cross'd lovers framework across six short episodes, Regan carves out her own style of crime drama. Boasting an arsenal of cinematography, understated performances, a hint of magical realism, and a hypnotic score, Mint is a surprising, fresh take on a centuries-old story — one that will undoubtedly make its way to U.S. screens. The ancient grudge? Two organised crime gangs led by stern patriarch Dylan Evans (an excellent Sam Riley) and reactive young'un Liangelo Denson (Connor Newall), where abdication looms and new mutiny simmers. Our forbidden lovers? Shannon Evans (Emma Laird) and Arran Denson (Ben Coyle-Larner) a pair whose ill-advised love at first sight moment comes in a shower of sparks. When Shannon's father decides to step away from the family business, with her brother Luke (Lewis Gribben) steering clear of such inheritance, whispers of unrest reach enemy ears — and Shannon and Arran's burgeoning romance becomes dangerous territory.