MOVIE REVIEW - Layer Cake (2004)

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Starring: Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Michael Gambon

Daniel Craig is the drug dealer with no name in this brilliant british gangster flick. The plot begins as the run of the mill guy wants to get out of the business story, but like the title suggests there is more than a couple of layers to what is happening around him. Of course he gets asked to do another job by his boss, to whom no is not an acceptable answer.

Being touted as the next big brit-film in the vein of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake is more a spiritual succesor to movies like Long Good Friday and Get Carter taking a more serious route rather than having all the stereotypes played for laughs. Don't get me wrong those stereotypes are in there, just not played tongue-in-cheek. With the Exception of The Duke.

Daniel Craig walks through the movie with a cool smoothness only comparable to the likes of Steve McQueen or Eastwood. You can also see why his name has been linked with James Bond in recent days, as in one scene it seems one look from his blue eyes and one girl is offering herself to him. And you know what, you believe he could get a girl that easily.

Other performances are also of very high standard. Especially Colm Meaney and Michael Gambon, very different from being Dumbeldore.

The direction from Matthew Vaughn is excellent and not overloaded with the visual flair often used by Guy Ritchie. There a little touches here and there which work brilliantly in the context of the film.

The Good: Performances, direction, story are all tight and well handled.
The Bad: May take a second viewing to catch all the layers. But that isn't a terrible thing.
The Ugly: Gangsters aren't the prettiest men in the world. And fouled mouthed too.

Overall: Highly Recommended 9/10