Right OK, its that time again for another post on the blog and this one is a proper review of an actual film (for a change!) rather than top lists etc. So the film in question is the 2000 black comedy-thriller, Sexy Beast, starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley.
So how does it stack up after 16 years??? Well let's find out!
And you can guess the usual warning is coming up....
SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!!
STORY
So the story begins with its main character, Gary "Gal" Dove (Ray Winstone) who is a retired con, having served time in prison, he now lives in a Spanish villa along with his ex-porn star wife, DeeDee (Amanda Redman). Gal also enjoys the company of his best friend, Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and his own wife, Jackie (Julianne White).
However paradise life comes crashing down to Earth with the sudden arrival, of Don Logan (Ben Kingsley) an unhinged, unstable recruiter from the London underworld, who wants to hire Gal to do a bank job back in London. Don tells Gal about the job which is being organised by Teddy Bass (Ian McShane) a powerful crimelord, who has learned about the bank from the chairman, Harry (James Fox) who Teddy met at an orgy.
Gal at first politely turns down Don's offer, however Don will simply not take no for an answer as he continues to pressure Gal into doing the job by verbally abusing him and even physically assaulting him. However while Don is there he reveals to Gal also that he once slept with Jackie and he is still attracted to her although she is far from interested in any of his attempts to talk to her.
As Don makes one last ditch effort to force Gal to do the job, Gal says to Don that surely he is not just there because of him but morely to see Jackie, which enrages Don who suddenly decides to leave the villa immediately. Don then boards a plane but he is soon put off it when he refuses to put out his cigarette and after this he returns back to the villa, furious with Gal, he launches into a verbal tirade and he smashes him over the head with a beer bottle. At this point DeeDee suddenly appears armed with a shotgun.......
In the next scene we see Gal arrive in London to do the job where he is met by Teddy, who is suspicious of him as Don has not appeared and he questions Gal, who simply tells Teddy that Don flied back to London and called him from Heathrow airport to say he landed, which Teddy is sceptical of.
And as the robbery get's under way we start to what really happened at the villa with Don and the implications it could have on Gal as a result of his part in the robbery.....
THOUGHTS
To this day, Sexy Beasy is a very entertaining crime film that has its fill of memorable characters, particularly Don Logan, who is totally unhinged sociopath with a single-minded agenda to recruit Gal for the bank job. And the story nicely sets itself up with its serene opening where Gal is living his life before reality comes crashing in with the arrival of Don. And the way in which the two characters keep butting heads is certainly one of the key reasons the film works well.
PERFORMANCES AND NOTABLE SCENES (Warning: this section contains strong language and spoilers!)
As for the performances in Sexy Beast, they are all excellent and the cast are in top form.
Starting with Ray Winstone, who is great in his role as Gal, the smooth likeable ex-con, who is happily retired and living in his Spanish villa.
And Ray has his share of good scenes that include the one at the start where a large boulder comes crashing down the mountain behind his villa and it narrowly avoids Gal and crashes into his swimming pool. Gal then dives into the pool along with the young Spanish boy, Enrique, who helps Gal around the house and they assess the damage just as DeeDee arrives back home. And Gal get's out the pool and DeeDee asks "What happened?" and Gal gasps "Boulder! Fucking big boulder! Fucking hell, Dee, I think I've got the bends!".
where the uncomfortable news of Don's imminent arrival shatter Gal, Deedee, Aitch and Jackie's peaceful lives as they sit for dinner while out at a restuarant. And Jackie says to Gal in the scene that the job would "no risk" leaving Gal nearly speechless as he refers to his prison sentence by saying "No risk??! 9 years of my fucking life?! No fucking risk?!". And he takes a moment to compose himself and he looks at the menu and he says to the others "I'm havin' the calamari, what are you all having?!".
Then there is the scene where Gal is at the end of his tether with Don, who once again tries to force him into doing the job and in this scene Gal is near imploding and he stands nervously not looking at Don. And in the scene Gal says to Don quietly "This is madness, I've had enough of this "Crime and Punishment" bollocks. I'm happy here!". And Don shouts "I won't let you be happy! Why should I?!". And Gal says to Don quietly "Look, Don, we both know why you're here its not just because of me" and Don looks incredulously and says "I find this astonishing, you're astounding! Repeat!" and Gal says "You're not here just because of me. Its because of Jackie". And then Don launches into a verbal tirade on Gal before deciding to leave his villa.
Then there is the scene where (SPOILER!!) Teddy drives Gal to the airport but stops off enroute at the chairman's house, Harry, where Teddy and Gal go in and Teddy murders Harry right in front of Gal. And in the scene, Teddy asks Gal one more time about Don "Where's Don, Gal? He never came back to London. I mean he got on the plane but got off it again and there was no record of him ever getting another flight" and this nervously leaves Gal to quietly say "I'm not into this anymore, Teddy".
And last of all is the end scene where (SPOILER OF SORTS!!) Gal is back home in his Spanish villa, happily resting in his deckchair, enjoying the sun. And in the head he hears Don say "Told you, you'd do the job" and Gal says to himself "You were right Don. Technically speaking, you were right. But you're dead. So shut up!".
Ben Kingsley next simply steals the show here as the unhinged London gangster, Don Logan and he has his fair share of highlights in the film so I will try and mention just a few (five at the most!).
So to kick off there is the scene where Don first arrives at Gal's villa and he get's out of Jackie's car (who picked him up) and he says "I've gotta change my shirt, its stickin to me! I'm sweating like a cunt!" as he walks into the villa.
Then there is the scene where Don puts his proposal for the bank job to Gal, who tries to politely decline the offer but Don will have none of it. So Gal says to Don "Thanks for thinking of me but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to turn this opportunity down" and Don spits back at him "No, you are going to have to turn this opportunity yes!".
Another good scene is when Don at the end of their first night out, asks Gal once again if he will do t he job to which Gal says no, so Don resorts to insulting Gal. So Don says to Gal "Shut up, cunt. You louse. You got some fuckin' neck ain't you. Retired? Fuck off, you're revolting. Look at your suntan, it's leather, it's like leather man, your skin. We could make a fucking suitcase out of you. Like a crocodile, fat crocodile, fat bastard. You look like fucking Idi Amin, you know what I mean? Stay here? You should be ashamed of yourself. Who do you think you are? King of the castle? Cock of the walk?!" and then Don slugs Gal in the gut!
Then we have the hilarious scene where Don boards the plane to leave Spain but he is told he has to put out is cigarette to which he refuses. And Don says to the air hostess "No, I'm not gonna put it out, you're just gonna have to wait until I've finished it. Its your move!" and the hostess goes away and comes back with security. And Don grins and says "Here comes the gay brigade look!" and he get's up and get's his bag and starts to leave "Tell you what, I'll get off the plane! I hope this crashes!" and as he tries to leave as he shouts "Open the fucking door!".
And lastly there is the scene where Don arrives back at Gal's villa and he has it out with him one last time and in the scene Don has strong words with both Gal and Aitch. And as Aitch asks Don "Problem with the plane, Don?" which prompts a brutal reply from Don "What you fuckin say, cunt, what?! Problem with the plane?! No, no problem with the plane, cunt! The plane was alright! You're the problem! YOU'RE the fucking problem you fucking Dr White honkin' jam-rag fucking spunk-bubble! I'm telling you Aitch you keep looking at me I'll put you in the fucking ground, promise you!".
And as Gal tells the others to go inside as he deals with Don, Don looks enraged and shouts "Not this time, Gal. Not this time. Not this fucking time. No. No no no no no no no no no! No! No no no no no no no no no no no no no! No! Not this fucking time! NO FUCKING WAY! NO FUCKING WAY! NO FUCKING WAY! NO FUCKING WAY!!! YOU'VE MADE ME LOOK A RIGHT CUNT!!".
Ian McShane also does very well in his role as the London crimelord, Teddy Bass and he actually manages to be very sininster and intimidating as the gangster, who becomes suspicious of Gal's arrival in London while Don has disappeared.
Ian also has some good moments in the film that include the one where Don tells the story of the bank job in flashback as we see in one scene, Teddy attend an orgy where he meets the bank chairman, Harry. And in the scene, Teddy sits wearing a robe and smoking a cigarette, he is aware of Harry behind him and he says "What are you staring at?" and Harry says "The back of your head" and Teddy says "Well don't. Stare at the back of your own fucking head!".
Then later there is the scene where after the Teddy's team have successfully pulled off the bank heist (sorry that's really a spoiler!) the men all celebrate and have a drink. And Teddy soon joins them, smiling he toasts the men and says to them "Gentlemen! You're all cunts!" which prompts uproarious laughter.
Another good scene is when Teddy stops off with Gal at Harry's home and he ends up shooting Harry dead in cold blood. And in the scene Teddy tells Harry to offer Gal a drink, which Gal takes and Teddy tells Harry "No, I'm alright" and promptly shoots Harry in the head, leaving Gal stunned. And Teddy asks Gal "Where's Don, Gal? He never left Spain, I know that. He never got on the plane. Well he did, and he got off again, and there's no record of him getting another flight".
And in Ian's last scene, he shows his ability to play Teddy with real menace as he drops Gal off near the airport. And Teddy says to Gal "How much did Don say you were on for this?" and as Gal says "Well he wasn't very specific..." Teddy interrupts and says "Well I'm going to give you a tenner. I only have twenties, have you got change?" and Gal nervously fidgets in his pockets and produces a twenty. And before they part ways, Teddy threateningly says to Gal "If I cared, Gal....if I gave one solitary fuck about Don...." and Teddy glares at a nervous Gal and says "Get out of the fucking car!" and Gal get's out and Teddy blazes off in his car.
As for the other supporting cast members, they also do a fine job that include Amanda Redman, who does pretty well in her role as Gal's loving wife, DeeDee, a former porn star who now lives the high life in Spain. Julianne White also does well in her role as Jackie, Aitch's wife and who also previously had a fling with Don although she harbour no love for him that's for sure!
And last of all is Cavan Kendall, who does a fine job in what was his last career role as Aitch, Gal's wise-cracking best friend. Kendall get's some good lines aswell in the film as Aitch but his most memorable ones are when just after Don leaves the villa, Gal and Aitch finally relax as they get ready for dinner. And Aitch teases Gal by saying "That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying he has to save
face. Protect himself. His image, his ego. No. I'll tell you what's happening. He's
gone back and he's said..."I've decided not to go with Gal, he's fat,
looks terrible, Michelin man." prompting Gal to say "Fuck off, I'm beautiful!".
Then there is the moment where Aitch get's the honour off finishing off Don as he hoists a box over his head as Don with his dying breath says "I fucked, Jackie! Ask her, she'll tell you! I fucked her!". And Don says to him "Well, I've fucked you now, haven't I??!!" and he brings down the box on his skull!
DIRECTOR AND MUSIC
As for the direction, Jonathan Glazer made his screen debut here and he does a very assured job with the film and for the most part he paces it very well. Glazer himself as a director came from a television commercial background before making the transition to film and he would later go on to direct the bizzare sci-fi film, Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johanssen, although its not a patch on this film it has to be said.
Music wise the film has an excellent score that was written by both the electronic band, South and Spanish composer, Roque Banos. However its South's music that mainly stands out in the original score overall as their electronic tracks are quite intense and have a hypnotic feel to them, particularly the track used for Don's arrival in Spain, which is one of the best tracks in the film.
The soundtack also features some other tracks by artists such as The Stranglers "Peaches" played at the start of the film, "Cuba" by the Gibon Brothers, Dean Martin's "Sway" and lastly Henry Mancini's "Lujon".
FLAWS
As for Sexy Beast's flaws....yeah OK it does have the odd one or two.
For starters I have to say the pacing of the film is a bit inconsistent in places and it does get off to quite a slow start and I would even go as far as to say the opening title sequence is quite boring with Gal just lying in the pool before he finally get's up and the giant boulder comes crashing into the pool!
I also feel that the idea of the plot is nothing too new with retired gangsters living the high life only for it to be shattered at some point, it seems quite a familiar pattern in itself although the idea of underwater robbery does something a bit different to the proceedings.
Another issue I had with the film is that once Ben Kingsley is properly out of the picture, it starts to lose some of its energy and the sequences leading up to actual heist drag the pace down and feel again a bit boring although the film's dramatic revelation with Teddy and Gal helps mend that somewhat.
And lastly I kind of felt that the female characters in the film were largely sidelined as Amanda Redman and Julianne White's roles were reduced to what feels a bit like glorified bit parts and again its a film that is primarly about the men's world rather than the women. So basically the female roles are mainly given a backseat here, which is a bit of a pity.
And that's it for the flaws.
SUM UP
Sexy Beast is definitely still one of the most entertaining British crime films in recent years and it works very well thanks largely to Ben Kingsley's hilarious standout performance as the billigerent gangster, Don Logan although the cast in general are pretty strong. The film's score is also excellent as the moody atmospheric music by the band South adds to the tone of the film perfectly and as a directorial debut for Jonathan Glazer, this remains a very impressive one.
And despite any of the film's fairly minor drawbacks, Sexy Beast is still well worth a look after 16 years.
Right, so that's it for now and I'll be back again soon with hopefully a couple more posts before Christmas.
So till the next one, its bye for now!
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