At the beginning of the film, he is facing a tribunal after all of his colleagues in his department in Blackpool submit complaints against him, Garden having had only three successes in his career.

While looking into the case of a "client", Kirsty, a juvenile delinquent who had Class A drugs planted on her, Simon witnesses the murder of an accountant by corrupt police officer Detective Inspector Burton.

He has inadvertently left his wallet containing identification at the crime scene and is duly framed for the accountant's murder by DI Burton.

While away from the city, he walks past a shop where the TV in the window happens to be showing an interview with Burton, who will be receiving a bravery award.

The team members train together, organise equipment, deploy a computer virus, and invent a GOTLER (George-operated time-lock equalising robot).

However, one night, DI Burton and several police officers (including Emma) search the house for the head of the murdered accountant.

They finally arrive at the town hall, where DI Burton is earning a bravery award for saving Kirsty from a burning car earlier in the film.

For example, Philip French, writing in The Observer stated "The film is mildly amusing and more than competently acted [but] contains very little that's original and nothing that throws any light on contemporary life.

"[6] Similarly, Neil Smith, writing for BBC Movies online noted "What follows mixes the light-hearted antics of The Lavender Hill Mob with such high-brow gags as Simon chundering on a roller-coaster or disposing of a phallus sculpture in a ladies' loo.

"[citation needed] Derek Elley, writing the Variety was also complimentary, noting "Though much of the film revolves round the persona of Coogan...overall it's more of an ensemble piece than a one-man showcase, and better for it.