LAYER CAKE
[Film stats: Earned $2.3M domestically. Got 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85% on Flixster.]
Hello, all!
I’m not sure that Daniel Craig would have had quite the successful run in Hollyweird that he’s had if it weren’t for this film. That may not be entirely true, but this is undoubtedly the movie that put him on a lot of casting directors’ radars.
As an aside, I would have sworn that this was a Guy Ritchie film. It has the same feel as a Guy Ritchie film, and anyone who’s seen SNATCH or LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, or even THE GENTLEMEN will see the similarities. Instead of Ritchie being behind the camera, it’s Matthew Vaughn. It makes sense that the two have similar styles, though, given how Vaughn was a producer on the first two of Ritchie’s aforementioned films.
Anyway, enough yammering about that. The plot, per the IMDB, is as follows: “A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.”
One of the folks that reviewed this film upon its release said that Craig’s performance had the “cool-yet-humble vibe of Steve McQueen,” and that’s pretty much right on the money here. The film is a very good and stylized little thriller in its own right, but Craig’s portrayal of the unnamed protagonist elevates it.
If you’re keen to check out a trailer for the film, I’ve embedded one below:
While it’s a stylized take on the world of British gangsters, it manages some menace whereas its Ritchie-directed counterparts never really generate a legitimate sense of dread. The best part of the film is watching how Craig’s character navigates the titular “layer cake” of the British world of organized crime, with a smart script having him dodge more than one double cross. Some familiar faces are along for the ride in supporting roles, and while some may fixate on Sienna Miller [who probably also got lots of calls from casting directors after her role in this one], don’t miss the others. From Tom Hardy [before he got jacked to star in WARRIOR] to a non-Star Trek TNG Colm Meaney, and especially a pre-Dumbledore Michael Gambon, the main antagonist of the film, the cast is a solid one. While the supporting cast all do well in their roles, one could argue that the most menacing character is the Serbian Dragan. Despite never being seen and only heard, he provides some of the film’s most tense moments.
If you’re looking for a film that manages to strike a balance between fun, stylized pulp and thoughtful, complex thriller, then this is well worth your time.
Enjoy!
P.S. For those of you who give this one a shot and enjoy it, you may also want to check out SNATCH [natch] and HARRY BROWN.
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - BARTON FINK; Day 2 - CENTURION; Day 3 - THE BABADOOK; Day 4 - RISEN; Day 5 - CHOPPER; Day 6 - ZERO EFFECT; Day 7 - IN BRUGES; Day 8 - HOUSE OF GAMES; Day 9 - DREDD; Day 10 - THE MISSION; Day 11 - WARRIOR; Day 12 - ANNIHILATION; Day 13 - THE FISHER KING; Day 14 - GOOD KILL; Day 15 - THE HITCHER; Day 16 - SHORT CUTS; Day 17 - THE SALTON SEA; Day 18 - A SIMPLE PLAN; Day 19 - MOON; Day 20 - CHEF; Day 21 - TRIANGLE; Day 22 - WIND RIVER; Day 23 - BLUE THUNDER; Day 24 - HOPE AND GLORY; Day 25 - LORD OF WAR; Day 26 - ONLY THE BRAVE; Day 27 - OUT OF SIGHT; Day 28 - SORCERER]
[Film stats: Earned $2.3M domestically. Got 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 85% on Flixster.]
Hello, all!
I’m not sure that Daniel Craig would have had quite the successful run in Hollyweird that he’s had if it weren’t for this film. That may not be entirely true, but this is undoubtedly the movie that put him on a lot of casting directors’ radars.
As an aside, I would have sworn that this was a Guy Ritchie film. It has the same feel as a Guy Ritchie film, and anyone who’s seen SNATCH or LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, or even THE GENTLEMEN will see the similarities. Instead of Ritchie being behind the camera, it’s Matthew Vaughn. It makes sense that the two have similar styles, though, given how Vaughn was a producer on the first two of Ritchie’s aforementioned films.
Anyway, enough yammering about that. The plot, per the IMDB, is as follows: “A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.”
One of the folks that reviewed this film upon its release said that Craig’s performance had the “cool-yet-humble vibe of Steve McQueen,” and that’s pretty much right on the money here. The film is a very good and stylized little thriller in its own right, but Craig’s portrayal of the unnamed protagonist elevates it.
If you’re keen to check out a trailer for the film, I’ve embedded one below:
While it’s a stylized take on the world of British gangsters, it manages some menace whereas its Ritchie-directed counterparts never really generate a legitimate sense of dread. The best part of the film is watching how Craig’s character navigates the titular “layer cake” of the British world of organized crime, with a smart script having him dodge more than one double cross. Some familiar faces are along for the ride in supporting roles, and while some may fixate on Sienna Miller [who probably also got lots of calls from casting directors after her role in this one], don’t miss the others. From Tom Hardy [before he got jacked to star in WARRIOR] to a non-Star Trek TNG Colm Meaney, and especially a pre-Dumbledore Michael Gambon, the main antagonist of the film, the cast is a solid one. While the supporting cast all do well in their roles, one could argue that the most menacing character is the Serbian Dragan. Despite never being seen and only heard, he provides some of the film’s most tense moments.
If you’re looking for a film that manages to strike a balance between fun, stylized pulp and thoughtful, complex thriller, then this is well worth your time.
Enjoy!
P.S. For those of you who give this one a shot and enjoy it, you may also want to check out SNATCH [natch] and HARRY BROWN.
Other films recommended:
[Day 1 - BARTON FINK; Day 2 - CENTURION; Day 3 - THE BABADOOK; Day 4 - RISEN; Day 5 - CHOPPER; Day 6 - ZERO EFFECT; Day 7 - IN BRUGES; Day 8 - HOUSE OF GAMES; Day 9 - DREDD; Day 10 - THE MISSION; Day 11 - WARRIOR; Day 12 - ANNIHILATION; Day 13 - THE FISHER KING; Day 14 - GOOD KILL; Day 15 - THE HITCHER; Day 16 - SHORT CUTS; Day 17 - THE SALTON SEA; Day 18 - A SIMPLE PLAN; Day 19 - MOON; Day 20 - CHEF; Day 21 - TRIANGLE; Day 22 - WIND RIVER; Day 23 - BLUE THUNDER; Day 24 - HOPE AND GLORY; Day 25 - LORD OF WAR; Day 26 - ONLY THE BRAVE; Day 27 - OUT OF SIGHT; Day 28 - SORCERER]
