DVD Review: Sexy Beast (C-)

Sexy Beast (2001)
Directed By: Jonathon Glazer
Starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley
Rating: C-

Review By Scott Standish

I love gangster movies, especially the brutal, Scorcese/Tarantino kind. So, needless to say, I was very excited to hear about this film. It seemed to have everything: an ex-gangster being brought back for a big score, Ben Kingsley playing a tough as nails crime lieutenant, and even some sex appeal (the main character's wife being a retired porn actress).

Ben Kingsley was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor oscar for this performance, so I was expecting a lot from this. Maybe too much, in fact, as I came away from this movie very disappointed.

Sexy Beast tells the story of Gal, a retired criminal (played by Ray Winstone) that has retreated to a plush estate in the hills of Spain. His days are wondrous. He sunbathes by the pool, sipping cocktails all day, eating fine food and living the good life. Obviously he has cleaned up over the years - his life of crime has paid off well, and he has successfully gotten out of the game. But, as Pacino says, "Everytime I think I am out, they pull me back in".

Mob enforcer Don Logan (played by Kingsley) comes to stay with them, and repeatedly berates and pressures Gal to join up for one last robbery. There is a subplot involving the top mob boss, a CEO of a major corporation, and Kingsley's love for Gal's best friend's wife. But ultimately, this all seems to go nowhere as its hard to side with any of the characters, or really feel anything about these turn of events. There are some attempts at dark comedy here, and a bit of the ol' ultra violence. All the ingredients were added, but for some reason, this film just doesn't gel properly.

The dialogue is rather weak and I left this DVD wondering what had been left on the cutting room floor? Maybe a reason for the wife's past being mentioned so often? More on the past between Don Logan and Gal's buddie's wife? But even there was more to this (and I am sure there was) why wasnt it a bigger part of the story.

Overrall, Sexy Beast is not that beastly, nor sexy, and it fails to add up to the sum of its parts.

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