Parting Shots is a 1999 British dark comedy film starring Chris Rea, Felicity Kendal, Oliver Reed, Bob Hoskins, Diana Rigg, Ben Kingsley, John Cleese and Joanna Lumley.

Photographer Harry Sterndale (Chris Rea) is diagnosed with stomach cancer and told he has just six weeks to live.

Once a successful photographer, Harry was bankrupted by an investment scam pushed on him by his shallow ex-wife Lisa (Diana Rigg), who promptly left him for another man.

His secretary, Jill (Felicity Kendal), is aware of the murder but covers for Harry since her own parents were a victim of Layton's scam.

The next day Harry decides to hire a hitman, Jamie (Oliver Reed), to kill him so he can give Jill the resulting life insurance payout.

Harry is subsequently hospitalised by his cancer, but after operating they discover he has been misdiagnosed and his stomach pains were due to a simple ulcer.

Early discussions for the lead role suggested Neil Morrissey or Martin Clunes, but when Winner met Chris Rea on a beach at Sandy Lane, Barbados, he was chosen instead.

[citation needed] Parting Shots was not well received by critics, with Total Film describes Winner's work as "offensive", "incompetent" and "bad in every possible way".

[3] Andrew Collins gave a strongly negative review of the film: "Parting Shots... is going to set the course of British film-making back 20 years.