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Not rated. () |
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(1678) |
687 |
4306 |
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(460) |
188 |
1179 |
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(1218) |
499 |
3127 |
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Plot:
This glinting, scalding gangland phantasmagoria offers a sort of funhouse-mirror refraction of the life and career of a British hooligan so elemental in his right villainy that he's merely identified ...( read more 
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Recent Reviews
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MCT:August 10, 2008No matter how much I enjoy these performers, this genre, Malcolm McDowell's deliciously sinister voice over, and the swingin' sixties period where most of the story takes place, I just can't hide the deficiencies of this reasonably entertaining British gangster flick.
What seemed to be promising was suddenly sunk by the incompetent Paul McGuigan and his artsy, video clip directing style. I was willing to forgive the man and enjoy the story, but I find out it wasn't too good either. I felt that great actors like David Thewlis, Paul Bettany and the mentioned McDowell weren't properly used, they were all like mere set pieces immerse in a sea of overused topics. -
MCT:June 14, 2008Really interesting movie. Not my kind of thing but if you're into film I recommend seeing it and making up your own mind.
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MCT:May 22, 2008very good one! an awesome performance by paul bettany! lot of blood!
it remainds me to a clockwork orange! check it out -
MCT:March 21, 2008Harrowing and stylish film that has it's heart in the right place; pumping blood.
This is the first film I saw Paul Bettany in, and is probably still the best performance I've seen from him. McDowell is his usual over the top self, which I love.
The story is strange, it treats the gangster genre more like a portrait of an evil serial killer, which I'm sure Gangster would have been if he hadn't found an organization that doesn't look poorly on psychopaths. A great film that can be watched multiple times. I'M NUMBER ONE! -
MCT:March 1, 2008
oh my goodness i cannot tell how much i am in love with this film, it has introduced me to a whole new genre of british mob gangster films. Paul Bettany is absolutly rivating as the no.1 gangster, i love the silent bits where you see him screaming but all you hear is a screech. And the menacing look on his face when he's murdering a foe. I still don't udnerstand why people don't give Paul more praise for his genius work. Paul Mcguigan has created a work of art and his finest moment in the film is the fact that he decided to show the most gruesome murder in the film from the victims perspective, that is pure brilliance!
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MCT:December 23, 2007
For a movie I hadn't planned on watching, in actual fact hadn't even heard of and that just happened to be on television I found this to be quite enjoyable. Basically about the rise and fall of an English gangster it's told by starting off in "present" time to going back to the 60's when it all started basically. I think Paul Bettany as the younger version of the main character was great. He did really well at playing such a narcissistic deranged character and I mean deranged. Right down to the facial expressions. The older version played by Malcolm McDowell I don't think was as good which bothers me in a story like that. I feel that when a movie goes from present to past to present again with different actors playing the same character the performances should be matched and although McDowell did do a fairly good performance I don't think it was matched. Didn't take away from the movie though.
The main problem I had with the movie was David Thewlis who I usually like as an actor, don't get me wrong though he was good it's just his accent. I realise this is a British film and he is British but he had to put on a rougher accent (with bad grammar, the whole shortening of the sentences and such) which in my opinion he couldn't keep up and kept breaking from it. Something I kept noticing far too much.
I also would've like the movie to explore with more depth the deranged main character and his obsession.
Other then that a great little movie that I'm rather happy I was able to watch. -
MCT:October 22, 2007
It is just a brilliant film, one of my favorites and i must watch it again. Paul Bettany was just amazing and David Thewlis was a fantastic choice for the role of Freddie Mayes. Overall it is one the best films i have ever seen and i will get it and watch it again.
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MCT:October 20, 2007
Great perfromances by Paul Bettany and Malcolm McDowell sharing the lead role as younger and older versions of a psychotic gangester.
Quite a different angle from most British Grangster films and is really aimed at the obsession of becoming the top dog at any cost.
VERDICT: If you like your ganster style films, then this is one that needs to be on your list. If you're sensitvie to strong language, give this film a wide birth. -
MCT:September 6, 2007'Lock, Stock...' and 'Snatch' are examples of "Gangster light". By comparison, this is "gangster heavy". Truly savage depiction of crime (specifically murder). The story deserves it, probably, but it's fine to look away as the bad stuff happens. Nonetheless, a very good turn from Paul Bettany as the Young Gangster and David Thewlis as his mad bad rival.
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MCT:July 26, 2007
Paul Bettany is fantastic in this movie. Would recommend for anyone who wants to watch a great Gangster movie.
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MCT:July 19, 2007
First, I have to give a nonstop applause to Paul Bettany who was outstanding in this...Then, Malcolm McDowell was as great and as warped as usual...And third, 2 thumbs up to Paul McGuigan for crafting one of the best british gangster flicks ever made along side Snatch. and Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels....This is one movie that I will never get bored of...
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MCT:June 30, 2007
Actually, this is an amazing movie. It loses stars for the ending, but only the last minute or so. I know, I'm a pretty darn unforgiving wench.
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MCT:April 24, 2007
Another British crime movie that I enjoyed, better than Sexy Beast. Isn't laced with humor like Lock, Stock or Snatch, but doesn't need to be. I enjoyed it more than Layer Cake too, but maybe because I wasn't expecting as much this time around. Bettany made the movie, his character was awesome.
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MCT:April 16, 2007
I blind bought this film on DVD the other day, after a recommendation from a friend and after looking at the case and realizing Malcolm Fucking McDowell was in it!! Anyway, this is a supremely cool, ultra stylistic (and at times, brutal) look at the life of a British gangster (as an older man, played by McDowell, and for the majority of the film by Paul Bettany, as a younger man), who lives in the shadow of and eventually usurps power from the ultra smooth Freddy Mays (David Thewlis). Just to take care of the bad first, the one thing I didn't like about the film is the inconsistency - the directing technique was packed with jazz and style (a little much at times) and all sorts of different techniques, but then the filmmaker just sort of turned this off for the second half of the film, and it became a much more stylistically grounded and brutal film. The whole flashback (which comprises 90% of the film) was sporadically narrated by McDowell from the present, although it was more of a commentary than a narrative, this also worked sometimes and not sometimes. Other than that though, this was a really cool film for people who love gangster films. I dug the story of the man living in the shadow of his master, who becomes totally consumed with trying to become him, until he gets to the point where he has forgot himself. The performances of both McDowell and Bettany were absolutely phenomenal. I was never very familiar with Paul Bettany's work before now but I want to see more of him, because he awesome here, totally and utterly deadly. I am so glad to see McDowell in another really good role like this, too. Overall, this is a somewhat flawed, but still very good film, and it would be highly enjoyed by anyone into the gangster genre, if you are, check it the fuck out.
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MCT:April 11, 2007
"And you, Mr. Freddie Mays, you had to go swimming in her eyes. Dancing in her hair. You had to slip into her mouth, slide over her tongue. Fall down her throat, deep down into her belly. Right into her blood. You had to fall asleep wrapped around her beautiful, beating heart."
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MCT:April 9, 2007
bloody but great british gangster film with the guy from a clockwork orange and the guy from kiss kiss bang bang (not good with names)
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MCT:March 20, 2007
Good movie. Malcolm McDowell/ Paul Bettany's Character I enjoyed, crazy and clearly very unfeeling. Both played the part well. The ending was kind of weird but you could see that's where it was leading to so I guess it worked. Interesting movie overall and I'd watch it again.
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MCT:March 16, 2007
fuckin brutal, granted theres a lot of holes in the plot but paul bettany nailz it...noticed a lot of yanks had problems because of the cockney dialouge tho lol
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MCT:March 15, 2007
The most pyschological portrait of a gangster I have ever witnessed. Paul Bettany and McDowall are brilliantly tragic and brutish as the troubled gangster who wants to BE Freddie Mayes.
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MCT:January 8, 2007
2 of my favourite actors play the same character. Forget the witty shmaltz of Lock stock et.al. This is the shit.
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MCT:December 13, 2006
Oi wa ya lukin at???? luk in ma eyes, luk in ma eyes wa you see?
im cockney, east london gangtsa.........." -
MCT:December 10, 2006Waste of TIME!! Very Weak movie, DO NOT WATCH, if you do end up watching it, side effects may include: Suicide, murder ramapages, road ramapage, any kinds of ways of harming yourself, and many others...
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Comments
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nothingbutabitchposted 585 days ago
