Rating: 
Summary: Violent but riveting
Review: Extremely violent, but one feels it is realistic in the circumstances. Great performance by Bob Hoskins, who meets his end at the hands of IRA assassin Pierce Brosnan.
Rating: 
Summary: As good as film noir gets
Review: For the Americans unfamiliar with cockney slang:grass: (n.) informant, snitch; (v.) to inform, to snitch
agro: agravation, trouble
bottle: nerve
boozer: bar/pub
wanker: masturbator
gob: (as a verb) to spit
nancy boy: homosexual Non-slang:
abattoir: meat-packing plant
Special Branch: governmental unit responsible for dealing specifically with (among other things) "the Irish problem." There are a bunch of other Cockney words as well and lots of glottal stops, but for the most part you're able to understand the dialogue that really matters. Yes, subtitles would probably help. It's an unfamiliar dialect and you need to tune your ear. (Actually, compared to real Cockney, it's pretty easily understood.) In fact, when I watched it again last night, I specifically paid attention to how much of the dialogue I understood and realized I was missing 1/3 to 1/2. And I could still figure out what was going on. And this is definitely a film worth watching over and over and over again. The plot is, well, "twisty" only begins to describe it. In fact, this is one of those films in which you're put very much in the position of the hero. Little facts are revealed to you in seemingly inconsequential order. Like a jigsaw puzzle, it starts by working around the edges, and then working its way to the center. Because you generally know only what our hero, Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins in a masterfully controlled performance) knows, you are as astonished as he is when the truth is finally revealed. (In fact, The Long Good Friday presages much of what you experience in Memento, but it's the better film.) What all this means is that you have to be patient with it. In the beginning, you're shown a series of apparently random scenes. Then, gradually, the whole comes together and the previous scenes suddenly make sense. It may be this gradual development of the story that makes this film so much fun to watch over and over again. I've now seen it twice in the past week and will probably sit down and watch it again in the next few days. Yes, it's tough, it's violent, it's very, very complicated. Which is, of course, what makes it so much fun. (And let's not forget the brilliantly jangling musical score, reminiscent of The Third Man's famous zither.) If you're looking for arty capers like The Thomas Crowne Affair (either version), or witty elegant capers like To Catch a Thief or How to Steal a Million, look elsewhere. But if you like, say, The Killing, or the Godfather trilogy, this one might be right up your alley. Just don't go down it alone.
Rating:
Summary: Bryan Marshall?
Review: I appeared in a production with Bryan Marshall when I was six years old, and I couldn't even remember what he looked like until I watched this. How sweet it was to bring back memories of my 'stage-father' who I had a huge crush on back then...
This was actually a great film, and i was surprised by it. I don't normally go for films in this genre, but you have to understand why...
Dont be put off by the fact that this is British made, because it has a great storyline, and it is well acted throughout.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this movie!
Review: I bought this movie on a whim, and am very glad that I did. It is great all around; the story, acting, music, direction are all very well done. Bob Hoskins is terrific-his teeth have a pretty large supporting role too. There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said about this movie...the picture and sound on the DVD are very good, and it's a film you'll want to see again and again. Order it now.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Gangster Flick
Review: I don't know this for sure, but the Criterion edition of The Long Good Friday is probably the only halfway decent edition of the film available. The story itself is really good, but the DVD leaves a LOT to be desired. First, it is poor quality mono. Second, there are NO subtitles in ANY language. I had much difficulty understanding the mostly "cockney" English, doubly difficult due to significant audio distortion at most all audio levels! If it weren't for the fact that the story is so absorbing, and I am a big fan of Bob Hoskins, I probably would not have been able to sustain an interest to watch the DVD through to the end. But I did! However, I have to watch it at least one more time to catch all the dialogue I missed the first time!!! Also, although the picture quality was mostly decent, the DVD contained many white splotches (original film deterioration?) that most likely could and should have been cleaned up with more attention by Criterion, especially since Criterion provided NO extras (except for a couple of trailers) with this edition. Why are Criterion's prices so high for bare minimum and, in this case, average technical quality DVDs? Objections aside, this is an intriguing ganster flick!
Rating:
Summary: brilliant
Review: I first saw this film way back in 1981 and thought then that it was something special. Bob hoskins had just made a name for himself in the UK appearing in the TV series PENNIES FROM HEAVEN (worth checking out if you have never seen it), and was the perfect choice to play violent cockney gangster Harold Shand, although a nasty piece of work I found the character quite appealling and could not help but sympathise as his empire slowly crumbled around him. An excellent script by Barry Keeffe, and a superb supporting cast, in particular Derek Thompson,whose confrontation with Hoskins on his boat is both riveting and shocking. I must have seen this film at least a dozen times and it never fails to grip me. As a side note watch out for a young Pierce Brosnan as one of the IRA hitmen.
Rating:
Summary: Crackling good dialogue and a great movie
Review: I first saw this movie about 10 years ago and was just blown away by Bob Hoskins' performance. It was the first time I had seen him in anything. I recently saw this Criterion DVD and, although the movie is not as flashy as newer Hollywood films, it makes up for it in it's pace and dialogue. Some scenes are funny in the midst of devastation and horror. The print of the film is very clean, although not anamorphic, and the sound is good. No real bells and whistles as far as surround sound goes, but I didn't miss it a bit. The story made up for it.
Rating:
Summary: An intelligent gangster movie!
Review: I had the good fortune to catch this film during its theatrical release over a decade ago. I've recommended it to others ever since, both for the strong performances and for its accomplished visual style. The Christian symbolism is obvious, but there's also something of a greek tragedy here (hubris and all that). The ritual purification (fire and water) towards the conclusion seems rather pagan to me. It's also a suspenseful film, although thanks to the review above by Sam Sutherland (for Amazon.com) and the customer reviews below, potential DVD buyers now know most of the twists and turns of the plot.
Rating:
Summary: Rates up there with the very best Gangster movies
Review: I read with interest the, on the whole, excellent reviews for what is in my mind one of the very best gangster movies ever made. For those who may not have seen this movie, this movie was originally destined for tv in Britian, but got such good initial reviews before release it was decided to make the movie into a full theatrical release, and the rest is history or so it goes. Bob hoskins is simply made for the part of the top london gangster trying to make a deal with the mafia to revitilize the docklands in London. In the midst of the mafia representatives visit all hell breaks loose. before you know it the IRA has blown up a number of his businesses and he has no idea who or why. The manner in which he picked up and interrogated other gangland characters was interesting ( see the movie ) and his explosion at his chief lieutenant, and subsequent murder, is appaling. The storyline is wonderful, the dialog gritty and real, the acting beyond words. wonderful, wonderful movie. Oh yes, the music is great too. the ending is also great.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Gangster Film
Review: I second those who found this a clever, brilliantly performed film; one of the best gangster films ever made. With an intricate plot that shifts from social commentary to ironic and deadpan humor to sudden violence with ease and a clear focus. The cast is first rate in all departments, but this was the first big exposure for Bob Hoskins and the short man fills the screen as the tough, ambitious cockney hood trying to raise himself in his world and his complete bewilderment and fury as that world begins to crumble around him. So many things to enjoy in the movie, but absolutely unforgettable is the final haunting scene in closeup as an array of emotions play across Hoskin's face. A great, gritty, tough film.
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