Rating: 
Summary: Thanks to the performances and direction, a great film
Review: I read an article the other day that went on about Guy Ritchie directing another gangster film, about a gangster who is going to retire after 'one last score'! Knowing Guy Ritchie, it'll be all flash and no substance. One shouldn't expect that from Sexy Beast, even though the description would be the same. Ray Winstone plays Gal, a retired gangster living the high life in Spain with his wife and a couple of old friends. Wouldn't you know it, but Don Logan (Ben Kingsley) comes down to Spain to recruit him for an elaborate heist. This description doesn't do the film justice. It's not about Gal pulling off one last exciting heist, it's about Gal trying desperately to avoid pulling off the heist. He's trying to preserve his wonderful life and protect his wife and friends from the criminal underworld that rears its ugly head again (the metaphorical 'sexy beast' of the title). It's a plus that the film doesn't portray the criminal life as particularly glamorous or kinetic. When Gal eventually does get back to London, he's surrounded by a bunch of boring louts, and all he wants to do is get the hell outta there. But now that he's back in London, he's faced with the even more terrifying Ian McShane as mob boss Teddy Bass, scarier than the mercurial Logan because you don't know what he's thinking behind his spooky blue-eyed stare. Those who would group this in with the films of Guy Ritchie are being shallow. This is a much different, more mature film, one that doesn't show off or revel in juvenile humor (although it is very funny in parts, much of the humor coming from Don Logan's incessant rants and his bizarre airport improvisational tale). And at the center of the film are three great and very different performances by Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, and Ian McShane, all of them playing against type in one way or another. One of the better films of this genre you're likely to see.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Your Typical Rabbit
Review: There are parts of this film that merit a viewer's attention, a performance by Ben Kingsley that is brilliant, and a surreal 6 foot tall Uzi wielding rabbit that I cannot find a rationale for. Without Ben Kingsley I would not have made it through the film, and when he is not on screen the holes in the plot leave little worth watching. I admire writers and directors that strive to put new ideas and images on film, I like when a clever puzzle is presented to the viewer. Accomplishing this is rather tricky and when done badly may best be termed no more than a quirk, or just a poor gimmick. There also has to be a story that makes sense, and this is where "Sexy Beast", really falls short. The primary character is recruited for a crime; the intensity with which he is stalked by Kingsley's character suggests he must have extraordinary talents the proposed heist requires. The reality is he does not, and Kingsley is near crazed out of desire that he participates out of loyalty. Kingsley is brilliant, but again he is about the only reason to watch the film. The crime that is committed is actually funny to watch. The manner it is carried out makes little sense, the idea it would go undetected is absurd and impossible to believe. The job is complicated unnecessarily, and for anyone who has ever been underwater you know that doing anything along the lines of swinging a crowbar with enough force to open a safety deposit box while submerged is just silly. There are some glaring errors of continuity in the film as well. The worst one I noticed was that at our hero's home he stands by his pool that is filled with water, and a large object that you will have to see the film to understand. The next moment the object is removed and that is fine, the fact the pool has been emptied and dried is ridiculous. The film has it's moments, and they all belong to Kingsley.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I love independent cinema, but sometimes I don't understand certain accolades. For instance, why in the world was Blair Witch so lauded? That was also the case with Sexy Beast, which I wanted to love but later just wanted to get through. A lot of people spoke well of Ben Kingsley's intense performance and it was intense, but that doesn't make up for lack of plot or story. Ok, now that all the Sexy Beast partisans hate me, I will say that the cinematography was top notch and the commentary track was worthwhile. There were great moments of tension in the movie between Kingsley and anyone, and later between the mob boss and our hero, Ray Winstone. I just wish all that tension was building up for something more than the decided payoff.
Rating:
Summary: Way over the top.
Review: In case you didn't already know, Ben Kingsley is a really terrific actor. But if you are already aware of this, you can pretty much skip this movie. It reminds me of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels--a good idea that's taken way, way too far. Its too implausible to be taken seriously yet not funny enough to be a comedy. And BTW, I really doubt you could flood a bank vault and short out the power without someone noticing.
Rating: 
Summary: AN OFFER HE CAN"T REFUSE...
Review: This is a strangely compelling film, made so by the riveting performance of Ben Kingsley, who plays vitriolic, psychotic, British gangster, Don Logan. With a pulse pounding, rat-a-tat-tat delivery of lines and with a totally sinister and utterly ruthless persona, Don Logan, spewing cockney accented venom, is about as frightening a gangster as one may imagine. It is no wonder that Kingsley was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance. The plot is simple. Retired thief, Gary "Gal" Dove (Ray Winstone), is living a relaxing, carefree life with his wife, DeeDee (Amanda Redman), an ex-porn star whom he clearly adores. With their ill gotten gains, they live in a beautiful, luxurious villa in Spain. They have a pool boy, Enrique, a local boy of whom they are clearly fond and who, it turns out, is fond of them. Former gangster, Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and his significant other, Jackie (Julianne White) also live in Spain. They all hang out together, living the good life. Their idyllic and carefree, expatriate lives are all shattered one day by the unwelcome intrusion of Don Logan, who comes to see Gal, as he wants to bring Gal out of retirement and back to England for one more heist. Don makes him an offer that, ultimately, due to a series of events, Gal finds that he cannot refuse. The film is really not so much about the heist itself, though it is an integral part of the film. It is really about love, and what one will do to protect those that one loves. While Kingsley's performance is a showstopper, Ray Winstone gives a notable performance as a teddy bearish kind of guy. He is a retired gangster who has gone soft and just wants to live the good life in peace with his wife and with the company of a few friends. He truly does not want to be involved in the heist. He just wants to get out from under. Amanda Redman give a strong performance as DeeDee, a woman who will stop at nothing to secure the sanctity of her home and the safety of those whom she loves. Ian McShane is appropriately menacing and single minded as the mob boss heading up the heist. The rest of the cast is also superlative, making this an excellent, though different, gangster flick. Be forewarned that the language employed by the Don Logan character in the film is absolutely filthy and offensive, and it is intended to be. So, if your sensibilities are easily offended, this is not the film for you.
Rating:
Summary: Not Everything I Heard
Review: I felt misled by the many reviews when I watched this movie. I give it 2 stars strictly based on Ben Kingsley's performance, which was excellent. Without his performance as the no-nonesense gangster this movie would have failed miserably. I felt the movie quirky and mostly dull. Most of the movie revolves around a few retired gangsters that are trying to avoid being pulled back in by the dominating character that Kingsley portrays. While there are a few moments of interest overall it fails. I would recommend "The Suicide Kings" before this movie if you are looking at off beat movies about gangsters and friends. In the end it left me dissatisfied.
Rating:
Summary: strong performances, interesting drama
Review: Ben Kingsley delivers a bone-chilling performance as the man everyone loves to hate, a role for which he earned not only universal critical acclaim but a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as well. Don Logan is so evil that even his fellow mobster buddies fear and hate him. From our very first glimpse of him high-strutting his way through an airport terminal, Kingsley hits just the right note for his character. Cleverly, writers Louis Mellis and David Scinto have paved the way for this entrance by introducing Logan ahead of time in a series of conversations in which just the mere mention of his name sets off portentous reverberations amongst the people discussing him. Chief among those people is the film's protagonist, Gal, Logan's "retired" ex-partner in crime, who wants nothing more than to be allowed to enjoy life undisturbed in his seaside Spanish villa with his swimming pool and the wife he loves so dearly. But Gal soon discovers that a person cannot escape his past forever, when Logan suddenly shows up at his doorstep demanding that Gal join his own personally hand-picked gang of seasoned criminals whom Logan has brought together to pull off a major heist back in Merry Olde England. Gal would like nothing better than to send Logan home packing empty handed, but he also knows that defying Logan can be the fastest route to an early demise. It is this atmosphere of fear and dread that director Jonathon Glazer uses to make "Sexy Beast" such an engrossing and off beat little crime drama. In fact it is the THREAT of violence, far more than the violence itself, which distinguishes this tale. Without the use of weapons of any kind, Logan is able to cow and terrorize a roomful of reasonably fearless adults simply by his steely-eyed demeanor and the unpredictable nature of his temperament. Seemingly controlled and rational one moment, he can suddenly erupt into a volcano of exploding anger the next. One of the most chilling moments in the film occurs aboard a departing airplane in which Logan refuses to douse his cigarette, thereby precipitating a confrontation with the flight crew. Logan has that quality that distinguishes all great villains: he throws us back on our heels by his refusal to conform to the social amenities that the rest of us simply take for granted and which put us at a decided disadvantage when faced with the evil characters of the world who know no rules and flagrantly disregard the ones we follow. He reminds us of how weak and vulnerable the rest of us really are. Logan, for all the intensity generated by his character, is not, however, the focal point of the film. Gal, brilliantly played by Ray Winstone, who provides a fascinating counterpoint to Logan's no-holds-barred villainy, occupies that position. Despite his criminal background, Gal wins us over by his openhearted frankness, his sincere devotion to his wife, friends and neighbors, and his obvious desire to lead a straight life from hereon out. Winstone underplays his scenes superbly, yet he never allows himself to be acted off the screen by the fiery Kingsley. (One should mention that the heavy accents of the characters make what they are saying a bit incomprehensible attimes). As is not uncommon in gangster movies these days, Glazer manages to inject an element of black humor into the proceedings. The comedy often takes the form of twisted surrealism, such as when a giant boulder rolls down a nearby hillside and lands plop in Gal's beloved pool, barely missing taking Gal to the bottom with it. The filmmakers also have an effective way of heightening the tension through indirection, particularly in the early scenes which prime us to dread Logan's entrance as much as the characters who don't want to see him - and we haven't even met him yet. This technique of telegraphing information ahead of time contributes immensely to heightening the suspenseful quality of the film. "Sexy Beast" provides superb performances, a nasty sense of humor and a fascinating glimpse into the dark side of human nature.
Rating:
Summary: Chilling fun
Review: Short, violent and somewhat predictable, this slight but unusual crime story is redeemed by the almost painful level of tension first-time director Jonathan Glazer manages to bring to it. It's edge-of-the-seat agonizing in places and hilarious in others, thanks largely to the remarkable performances of Ray Winstone as the tubby tanned Gal and Ben Kingsley as the thoroughly hateful Don Logan - a diminutive gangster who won't take no for an answer. It's worth seeing for Kingsley alone. If you enjoy him in dark mode, check out Polanksi's "Death And The Maiden" (1994), if you can find a copy - it doesn't appear to be available on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Ghandi's Evil Twin and Little Else....
Review: Once you get over the shock of seeing Ghandi's evil alter-ego swearing, prowling and generally spreading menace, it becomes all too clear that Sexy Beast is a shallow, lowest common denominator heist flick, that looks to cash in on the strong returns of other recent Brit-gangster movies. As in the unbelievably overrated Snatch, the presence of strong, exaggerated cockney accents and an endless stream of profanity and violence seem to constitute both the plot and humour of this supposed 'dark' comedy. What is hilarious is hearing critics like Peter Travers fawn over the 'deadly, and darkly comic, duel of wits' between Logan (Ben Kingsley) and Gary (Ray Winstone.) Apparently lines such as "Tell me you'll do it," "No I won't", "Yes you...will!" constitute sharp dialogue and edge-of-seat tension. For me, hearing Kingsley say "Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes!" over and over again leads to irritation followed quickly by boredom. Any semblance of a plot is largely absent, and it was hardly surprising to find out that first time director, Jonathan Glazer, used to make music videos. Like Guy Ritchie and David Fincher, Glazer relies on video-clip trickery, rarely keeping the camera still for more than several seconds at a time, except when focusing in on Kingsley's menacing stare. Such effects are of course necessary, lest the glaring lack of plot and well-constructed dialogue be exposed.
Rating:
Summary: a disappointment
Review: Kingsley was great in his role, but I couldn't understand anything that was said. Thank goodness for DVD subtitle option! That helped. But all in all, I was disappointed. At the end, I said "IS THAT IT!?!" I was truly surprised. I didn't feel like I had watched a movie. It wasn't terrible or anything, just disappointing. Guess it just depends on your taste. Maybe if there was more character development? Honestly, it seemed more an exercise for Kingsley as an actor, or perhaps a one-dimensional display of a crazed, violent personality. This film missed something.
|
