Gangster No. 1
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Movie Reviews of Gangster No. 1
Movie Review: B4 the Swan Dive
Summary: 4 Stars
Director Paul McGuigan directed Paul Bettany in "The Reckoning" which was a stylish medieval thriller. He also directed "Wicker Park" whose soundtrack CD far exceeded the merits of the confusingly edited film. "Gangster No. 1" is a decent crime drama that paints an unsympathetic look at Gangster 55 played by Paul Bettany in younger years and Malcolm McDowell in older years. Bettany, whose recent romantic comedy "Wimbledon" was delightful and shows great range, is pretty scary here as a guy who has a great talent for hurting people. He gets picked up in Freddie Mays' mob and apparently becomes jealous when Mays falls in love with the gorgeous Saffron Burrows. David Thewlis who played Paul Verlaine to Leonardo DiCaprio's Rimbaud in "Total Eclipse" and also starred with Brad Pitt in "7 Years in Tibet" and most recently in "Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban" does a nice job of being the randy high roller in youth and then the older and reformed ex-con 25 years later. Saffron Burrows who narrated the most recent Peter Pan movie and also played in "Troy" does a nice job as Karen who falls in love and then gets the ultimate sore throat. Malcolm McDowell whose career was launched with "A Clockwork Orange" and most recently was the billionaire tycoon in "In Good Company" brings a great intensity to the role before his final swan dive. Although this film is a bit bloody, it still was an interesting and entertaining crime genre film. The pacing is a tightly controlled rampage. I particularly enjoyed the lad running through the parking structure before Bettany's careening car. The film is more visceral than thoughtful, but still interesting cinema. Enjoy!
Movie Review: Not what you may think,.....
Summary: 4 Stars
The other reviewer on this page who called this film a "character study" nailed it. The two lead gangsters Freddy Mays and (soon to be) gangster#1 could just as easily have been corporate execs., or two proball players, or....get the idea. This is a story about one mans driving, overwelming ambition to be #1, and what in the end is he left with when confronted with the man who was #1 but had it all stolen. More or less in a nut shell.This is why any comparison to Goodfellas,et al is silly. The gangster life is window dressing, making the film more entertaining, yes ( if you like violence thats mostly implied, but implied well) but essential to the main theme. Gangsters are used here the same way Ann Rice uses vampires, to comment about the human condition.
Paul McGuigan directs well, using intresting camara techniques, and great lighting to show the lead characters descent into ambitious maddness. He uses music to its full effectiveness ( Reservoir Dogs ) with a rather happy "Because I Love You" adding to the evil menace of a murder scene which is the set piece of the film.
Needless ( I believe )to say the acting is primo.
This DVD edition has an informative featurette, and intresting if a little dry director commentary. I highly recommend for those who like serious character study ( but dont whine about the violence and language), as well as those who enjoy a fun little gangster flick. Its enough of both.
Movie Review: Its All About The Numero Uno
Summary: 4 Stars
First off...great f'n movie! I have a serious...serious...mafia collection, ranging from the Yakuza flicks (Japanese Mafia) to the Italians...but I never seemed to think about the brits...well, now I do. If you're a fan of mafia/gangster flicks...this is a must have, let alone a must watch. Now, if you're a fan of the "make me actually think" movies...then you'll like this movie also...for it pits one deep into the demented cranium of a killer (and some shot sequences, the eyes of a victim). Great movie...may take you a few times to see it though ;)Movie Review: It looks like one of those great '60s British gangster movies
Summary: 4 Stars
...only it's new. Directed by Paul McGuigan in 2000 it's a bit underrated. It's hard gangster like Long Good Friday, The Krays, the acting and writing great and the period work flawless. It feels like a film made back then. It's an early film of this director who's also done Lucky #Slevin, also worth seeing. In any case, I consider this one a keeper.Movie Review: Malcom McDowell... Shudder!
Summary: 4 Stars
I think this is a great movie, but it has one very major flaw, Malcom McDowell. I personally do not like his acting in this movie whatsoever, it destroys the movie... Especially the end sequence, I hated it.If this movie did not have Malcom McDowell in it, I would have given it 5 stars. Paul Bettany and David Thewlis are awesome.