Max is a widower in his seventies and the aggressive patriarch of his North London household. A former butcher with a history at the racetrack, he walks with a stick and frequently trades vicious insults with his adult sons and brother. Despite his hostile and domineering exterior, he occasionally reveals a desperate longing for affection and family loyalty.

Lenny is Max's middle son, a cynical man in his early thirties who lives in his father's house. He treats his aging father with blatant disdain and speaks with a cold, calculated edge. Beneath his polished exterior lies a history of violence and exploitation, which becomes evident in the disturbing stories he casually recounts to guests.

Teddy is the eldest son of the family, an academic in his mid-thirties who emigrated to the United States six years ago. Returning to London for a surprise visit with his new wife, he brings an air of educated detachment to his working-class childhood home. He struggles to connect his refined life in America with the volatile, aggressive environment of his father's house.

Ruth is Teddy's wife, a former model in her early thirties who has spent the last six years raising their three children in America. Brought to London to meet her husband's family for the first time, she proves unexpectedly resilient and composed. Rather than shrinking from the aggressive, male-dominated household, she asserts her own agency and refuses to conform to the submissive role her husband expects.

Joey is the youngest of Max's three sons, a demolition worker and aspiring boxer in his mid-twenties. Taciturn and less intellectually focused than his older brothers, he absorbs the aggressive posture of his father and Lenny. He relies on brute physical strength but quietly lacks the emotional nurturing he missed growing up without his mother, Jessie.

Sam is Max's 63-year-old brother who works as a professional chauffeur and shares the family home. He takes pride in his work and strives to maintain a sense of routine and decency in the house, making him the frequent target of Max's relentless bullying. Despite the hostility around him, he genuinely cares for his nephew Teddy and tries to offer a warm welcome to the visiting couple.