Genres

Visitors Review

Edward Douglas 2012-05-24 22:21:49

[Joffe] isn't nearly as strong a director as he is a writer and he's unable to realize such an intricate story in a way that's even remotely satisfying.

Leigh Paatsch 2012-05-24 04:10:14

The new version of Brighton Rock definitely makes for curious viewing -- almost in a Cockney Coen brothers kind of way -- but presents an often erratic experience as well.

Simon Miraudo 2012-05-19 16:15:53

Rowan Joffe's adaptation of Graham Greene's 1938 novel Brighton Rock is, in theory, precisely the kind of book-to-film translation we should have more of.

Natalie Lucas 2012-05-19 03:31:50

Brighton rock review

I decided to watch Brighton Rock after I had heard good things about itand I thought it would be interesting to watch. It seemed different toother films and in a genre of it's own. It was not a bad film but atthe same time it wasn't the best,I would say stick to the novel andoriginal. The start was very slow. Helen Mirren and Sam Riley gaveamazing performances and owned the film, while Andrea Riseborough gavea great performance as the annoying and needy Rose. The performancesand cast make up for the lack of excitement. There are a few twistwithin and some action scenes that make the film that bit moreinteresting. It's a rememberable film but I wouldn't plan on watchingit again.

MaryAnn Johanson 2012-05-16 18:23:14

[W]ickedly unsettling... [W]e're never sure who's feeling what, or why, or to what extremes they're capable of going. Call this a thriller of emotional suspense...

MrJamesBlack 2012-05-16 05:52:16

Rowan Joffe's dark, suspenseful but fatally flawed remake of Brighton Rock.

Hearing the news that John Boulting's classic 1946 adaptation of GrahamGreene's novel Brighton Rock was to be remade filled with metrepidation. The current spate of mostly inferior remakes are one thingbut meddling with the perfection of this archetypical gangster film isanother. How can any updated version possibly replace the indelibleimage of the 23 year old Richard Attenborough as the flick knifewielding baby faced assassin Pinkie Brown? As filming began and rumoursof a 1960s Mods and Rockers setting emerged I began to have seriousdoubts if this remake was really going to be a good idea! Thankfullyfears that Rowan Joffe's Brighton Rock is a sanitised version of thestory are quickly allayed. The relocation of Brighton Rock to the 1960sdoes not mean that we are entering into the trendy youth culture of theera or being taken on an adolescent search for identity. Thesharp-suited posers and greasy leather clad Rockers are merely abackdrop to a much darker reality as we are taken into a terrifyingworld of crime, guilt and inner-torment.Brighton Rock is concerned with the concepts of good versus evil, sinand redemption they were present in Greene's novel, the 1946 adaptationand once again are central in Rowan Joffe's remake. However, additionalscenes and alterations to the 2010 update mean that Pinkie'sprogressively violent behaviour is almost justified. In theexhilarating opening sequence Pinkie witnesses the brutal murder of thegang's original leader Kite when Fred Hale slashes his throat. WhenPinkie sees one of the few role models in his life burbling anddrowning in his own blood revenge it seems is not only on the cards butunavoidable. This kind of black and white, eye for an eye, moralitydetracts from the original story where Pinkie Brown's vicious streakappeared to be innate and a product of original sin. The character ofIda Arnold (Dame Helen Mirren) also has undergone a significantadjustment. In opposition to the Catholicism of Pinkie and Rose thepleasure seeking Ida was concerned only with the here and now. Mirren'sportrayal plays these aspects down resulting in a more serious role anda lessening of the story's theological study.As with Attenborough before him Sam Riley's Pinkie is intense,dangerous and teeters on the edge of sanity. If anything in Joffe'sadaptation Pinkie Brown undergoes a broader transformation than beforeas greater emphasis being placed upon his journey from a nervous lackeyto maniacal gang leader. Unfortunately the 30 year old Riley he doesnot resemble a juvenile delinquent. Therefore the shy adolescentawkwardness that Pinkie displays towards adulthood and in particularhis relationship with Rose, (conveyed so expertly by Attenborough,) isabsent.Andrea Riseborough gives an outstanding performance as Rose she toogoes on a psychological journey from being a naive and mousey youngsterto an assertive young woman attracted to Pinkie's confidence andmenace. The scene in which Pinkie in effect buys Rose from her abusivefather for £150 adds a social realist dimension to the film uncoveringthe lack of options available to a young working-class woman in'sixties Britain. The squalid surroundings of Pinkie and Rose's flatcomplete with peeling wallpaper, scuffed furniture and squeakyfloorboards are also reminiscent of a Kitchen Sink drama. There is someimpressive cinematography by John Mathieson as the camera pans from thethreatening crashing waves on Brighton Beach to the scenic seasidecafés foreshadowing the storm that is building. The swelling orchestralsoundtrack also adds to the heightened sense of panic and drama. Thetea rooms, arcades and dance-halls of 1960s Brighton are alsoaccurately recreated as are the neglected interiors of the boardinghouses. And yet… There is something oddly unreal about Joffe's BrightonRock partly down to the unnecessary time shift which does nothing butconfuse the audience. The film's characters seem stuck in the wrong eraoriginating as they do from austere post-war Britain both in appearanceand behaviour. Using the Mods and Rockers backdrop and casting ofPhilip Davis, (who appeared in Quadrophenia,) as Spicer turns the movieinto a pastiche of sorts leaving us with a souped-up hyper-reality.This is Brighton as seen through the eyes of the cinema goer not theworld of Graham Greene's novel. Dark, menacing and suspenseful RowanJoffe's Brighton Rock is well worth seeing it is just unfortunate thatthe film is not as good as the sum of its parts.

Philip De Semlyen 2012-05-09 17:24:43

Greene fans will raise a sceptical eyebrow, but it's an adaptation brimming with enough ideas to justify this second stick of Rock.

Chris Cabin 2012-05-09 09:16:19

a remake that recalls the most pestering and innervating facets that the word 'remake' summons in even optimists such as myself

Nick Deigman 2012-05-06 18:45:58

Rowan Joffe is an extremely talented artist and one of the jewels in the crown of British cinema at present, but this film is pointless and uninspiring, and far from his best work.

Kenneth Hobbs 2012-05-06 02:32:18

Brighton Rock

This picture was beautifully photographed, acted brilliantly - it wasatmospheric and Pinkie - Sam Riley gave a 'haunting' performance.Brighton in the 60's was portrayed very well and I loved the pseudoQuadrophenia angle to it - well done for that.The cliff scenes, were not as one reviewer from the US related to asDover, were filmed at the Seven Sisters - Sussex own cliffs - thescenes were literally breath taking.My only criticism of the film was in the continuity - Brighton toEastbourne -the final scene - wasn't minutes away - it is quite a driveespecially on the A259, would have taken a drive of some 45 minutes inthe 60's Overall view - this film warranted 9/10 for me - No remakeequals the original and 2010 Brighton Rock is no exception - but thenthe makers never intended it to be a remake of the original, otherwiseit would have been set in the late 40's and not 60's Well done!!!

chaz-28 2012-04-30 21:51:37

The filmmaking does not match the thin plot

There is something off about Brighton Rock. The atmosphere and moodsurrounding the action does not match what is going on. Based on aGraham Greene novel, Brighton Rock follows a low level gangster'sattempt to avenge his father figure, stake a claim to the top spot, andrun the mob racket in Brighton, England in 1964. Encasing thisformulaic plot is a soaring orchestral score, shots of the wavescrashing on the rocky beach, and dialogue which seems deliberatelypieced together from 1930s and 40s gangster pictures.Pinkie Brown (Sam Riley) witnesses a rival gang member murder hismentor/mob boss in the film's opening scene. Pinkie learned everythingfrom this man including intimidation tactics, how to handle a knife,and presumably how to convincingly wear a menacing sneer. Riley playsPinkie as a guy you do not want to mess with, let alone have aconversation with. Unfortunately, poor and innocent Rose (AndreaRiseborough) witnesses a key segment of the revenge attack and becomesconnected with Pinkie who needs to keep close tabs on her. Mistakinghis attention as romantic interest, Rose almost becomes comic. Nomatter how lonely the girl, I cannot believe any female would beflattered by Pinkie Brown. He is overtly mean, sarcastic, andthreatening to this girl he is trying to convince he has feelings for.Rounding out the ensemble is a miscast Helen Mirren as a meddlinginterloper and John Hurt who acts as a sort of Greek Chorus commentingon the plot from aside.The mise-en-scene; however, is quite convincing. Brighton is shot ascold, bleak, and gray; adjectives which aptly describe that city in thewinter time. There seems to be nowhere else to go or spend time otherthan the Brighton Pier, which is true. Brighton Rock desperately wantsto be an epic with its serious moments on the Dover cliffs, brutalknife fights under the pier, and its dangerous love story. The plot isso thin and trivial though that it cannot match, but only hinder, thehelp all the other film components are trying to give it such as thescore, costumes, and set design.Do not waste your time with Brighton Rock. The writer who adapted thisnovel to the screen is Rowan Joffe who also wrote the screenplay for2010's The American. If you have not had the pleasure of that film yet,see it instead.

Tricia Olszewski 2012-04-30 09:02:37

A forgettable film noir.

gradyharp 2012-04-25 18:27:51

Good versus Evil, Sin and Redemption: Graham Greene Revisited

BRIGHTON ROCK is a British remake of the 1947 brilliant film noir basedon the novel by Graham Greene an adapted for the screen by GrahamGreene and Terrance Rattigan. This BRIGHTON ROCK has been updated fromthe original 1930s setting to the 1960s and the screenplay is by RowanJoffe (who also directs) - tough competition with the original writers!The result is a dark film that relies on performances by some actorswho are not up to the task and makes them seem even more weak by thepresence of such brilliant actors in smaller roles as Helen Mirren,John Hurt, Philip Davis and Andrea Riseborough. The story takes place in 1964 in Brighton, once a quiet seaside town,is suddenly overrun by gangs of sharp suited Mods and greasy Rockerslooking for a riot. Looking to be the top Mod gangster, Pinkie Brown(Sam Riley) will stop at nothing to be the biggest name in the crimeworld - bigger than the competitor Colleoni (Andy Serkis). Pinkiewitnesses the vicious death of fellow Mod Kite (Goeff Bell) and isdetermined to kill the perpetrator Hale (Sean Harris). Pinkie'sruthless and violent ambition takes over his mission and when hediscovers that a waitress named Rose (Andrea Riseborough) who works atSnows, a café run by Ida (Helen Mirren), is involved tangentially inthe murders, Pinkie decides to court the plain Jane Rose, knowing thatif he marries her she cannot testify against him should she discoverPinkie's guilt in the murders. Ida had a 'connection' with Hale andsees through the veils of deceit Pinkie is placing on the innocentRose, and she and her longtime friend Phil (John Hurt) underminePinkie's plans. Pinkie marries Rose - a gesture that secures Rose'sfascination and new love for Pinkie - to keep her from testifyingagainst him. As factors around the conflicts between the two gangstighten and Pinkie fears for his end, he convinces his new bride totake part in a mutual suicide, an act that has a surprising end. What is missing in this updated adaptation is Graham Greene's importantemphasis on the theme of sin, guilt and Catholicism: there are attemptsto bring these concepts into the script but they become of lesserimportance than the action and dark evocation of a period piece. Theremood is well described by the cinematography of John Mathieson, but thesingle most effective aspect of this film is the brilliant music scoreby the gifted British composer Martin Phipps, godson of BenjaminBritten. Were there not an original film for comparison the film wouldlikely be better accepted. But for those who are ardent fans of thenovels of Graham Greene this film adaptation will likely disappoint. Itis currently available On Demand and simultaneously in theaters beforethe DVD is released here. Grady Harp

Joshua Rothkopf 2012-04-25 06:49:48

What might have been a long walk off a short pier becomes a valid, vital rethinking of a crime classic.

John Anderson 2012-04-23 16:33:29

The film is almost distractingly beautiful to look at, something that accentuates the tension between the film's conflicting quantities, i.e., the glories of the physical world, and the corrupted humanity it hosts.

davidgee 2012-04-23 09:07:23

Brighton/Eastbourne/Hastings Rock

The flaw at the heart of this movie (and the old black-and-whiteversion) is that you can't understand why a nice Catholic girl likeRose would fall for a thug like Pinkie (the fact that he's a - naughty-Catholic boy fails to give him a redeeming quality: well, maybe itdoes in God's eyes but not in mine!). This flaw is also at the heart ofGreene's book. Andrea Riseborough plays Rose well enough - sad, lonely,yearning to be loved - but nice-looking as Sam Riley is, Pinkie IS nomore than a charmless thug. Rowan Joffe has chosen to make Pinkie agrown-up gangster rather than the teenage sociopath that RichardAttenborough played, and Riley gives him a touch of Peter Rachman, atouch of Reggie Kray, which are so right for the period. But he makesit pitifully clear that he despises Rose, and you keep asking yourself:why does Rose love him? The recording-booth scene on the pier is thekey moment in the story, heartbreakingly well played, but it nails thequestion without providing an answer.Helen Mirren and John Hurt are perfectly on the button for the 1960s,but I thought the Mods in the battle scene by the Pier weren't Modenough - too many 1990s anoraks, not enough smart jackets. Sussex bornand bred, I was amused by the combining of bits of Brighton and(bigger) bits of sedate old Eastbourne (there's even a bit of HastingsOld Town, unacknowledged in the end credits!). The two Beachy Headscenes were thrilling and beautifully lit. I liked the 'epilogue'.In some ways this is a worthy adaptation of the book's theme and thetranslation to a later era gives it more 'resonanance' for a modernaudience. The Catholic guilt trip that is a central feature in'Greeneland' may have less resonance today, and this film doesn'thandle it as persuasively as Neil Jordan did in THE END OF THE AFFAIR(1999), but Julianne Moore and Ralph Fiennes are in a different leaguefrom Andrea Riseborough and Sam Riley (though they both show hugepromise).

Ruben Mooijman 2012-04-21 12:34:26

Film noir with superb period setting

To be honest, reading the user reviews I am astonished by the amount ofnegative emotions caused by this movie. I went to see it with the ideait would be a run-of-the-mill, average movie, but left the cinema withthe feeling that I had seen one of those typical outstanding Britishperiod films. There's very good acting (Helen Mirren, but also AndreaRiseborough as Rose, who I think does a better job than Carey Mulliganwould have done), a gripping story and the movie captures the feelingof Britain in the sixties very well. Also, the dark, sombre, filmnoir-like feeling throughout the film is very well done. I thinkBrighton Rock is in the same league as The King's Speech, which isperhaps a bit overrated. I must admit that I haven't seen the originalversion, which so many users find superior to this remake, and I willtry to get a DVD of it.

Henry Fitzherbert 2012-04-20 19:22:30

This new version of Graham Green's classic novel - updated to 1964 - feels peculiarly pointless.

mrg9999 2012-04-19 20:43:32

Not a spot on the 1947 version

I saw the original version on the TV as a child in the 60's and wasgripped by it. I sought out to read all Graham Greene's works. I foundthe original film very close to the book, the gradual building intenseatmosphere, and the acting excellent. The 2010 version has a a very good cast, Mirren plays Ida, just how Iexpected Ida to be. Phil Davies played his role very well, but Ithought I was watching Ashes to Ashes.Overall I was very disappointed, the other actors were wooden, and whythey changed so many parts of the plot, moving it to the 60's, theimplausible photo ticket, and in my opinion the needlessly graphicending. I can see why it was in the £2 section in local DVD shop, ithas been remaindered in only 4 months.Bottom line, only see this if you have to see every version of BrightonRock.

Peter Keough 2012-04-19 07:51:30

Joffe fumbles with the bones of Greene's parable, but the flesh, blood, and spirit elude him.