Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-25 16:39:49

Best Bond + Great Gangster = Awesome package!

This review is from: Casino Royale (Widescreen) / Layer Cake (Special Edition, Widescreen) (DVD) Truth up front: I was getting sick of the over-the-top camp of the last several Bond flicks, and I love a good caper film. Daniel Craig has blown me away in both of his roles in this package, and when I saw it bundled it was an instant buy. "Casino Royale" is in my opinion one of the best Bond movies, period, and a refreshing change of pace for the series. "Layer Cake" is just a fun, well-written caper flick, with an interesting little twist that you probably don't realize until the very end. It's not Oscar material, but it is a heck of a lot of fun, and I recommend it to anyone who loves the genre. This pairing is great; I think if you liked either movie in it, you'll enjoy its partner. Get it today!

lemon_magic 2012-05-25 07:06:20

Interesting blend of cool humor and violence, but not really in the mold of "Snatch"

While "Layer Cake" is being promoted as a slice of experience similarto movies like "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", this promotiondoesn't really do justice to the central plot of the movie or the wayviolence and the threat of death are experienced by the protagonist."XXXX" ("if you knew my name, you'd be as clever as me") is no strangerto the underworld, but he is neither a thug or a professional hard man- in fact, he doesn't even own a gun. So once things go wrong, hisinvolvement with the criminal types - who routinely employ violence,torture and murder as means to an end - is fraught with far moresuspense and anxiety than the "Goon Show" aura of a film like "Snatch".As a consequence, the stakes feel considerably higher than in thosefine Guy Ritchie films...death isn't just a payoff to a slapstick scenewith guns and goons, it is very possible and very real.I liked this film a LOT. The Brits continue to show everyone else justhow to be interesting on camera without overacting or chewing thescenery. The movie packs on the machismo and revels in the outlaw'scontempt for the "straight" world without ever losing track of themenace and danger of the outlaw way of life. The plot is full of twistsand turns and may take more than one viewing to take in, which is goodfor movie fans who like their films "chewy". Part of my problem mayhave been that the accents are pretty thick, and I had trouble catchingsome of the lines which may have held important info as to what (andwhy) events were happening on screen. No problem, I'll just watch itagain (gladly) with subtitles turned on.A word about Daniel Craig - I don't want to get too enthused about himtoo early based on one role, but I like his "McQueen"-ish style and hisintriguing "stillness" in this movie. He's good enough in this that Iwill go see the next film he has a major part in (including, possibly aBond film) and see if he's still that good.While the cheap irony of the ending irritated me somewhat (I'll have togo read the novel now to see how the author treated this), I think thiswas a great, lean, mean , cool gangster film. I am very glad I took achance and went to see it.

2012-05-23 00:11:23

2 for 1 deal

i'm so glad i bought the 2 movies. I watch them all the time and I probably wouldn't have heard or seen layer cake otherwise.

Kathleen 2012-05-22 19:03:03

Another excellent crime movie out of the UK...

Greed compells a person who owns a successful business to regard it as merely a cover for the taxman, he wants more money and an early retirement so his real business is criminal. He believes he is on top of the situation and morally safe as he does not practice violence or push drugs on the street, he is merely the middleman. Such a situation cannot last.I gave this crime movie an A-... I anticipated an entertaining experience with good actors shoved through a relatively simple plot requiring little thought on my part, fast talking, cleverness, mordant humor, violence and betrayal.. And of course he gets a girl. I can say this film delivered on all counts. The acting and script seemed very natural, it is well cast, and for the most part well directed.Now if this was an American movie... the actor playing the hero would be 50 years older but there would have been steamy sex scenes involving him and girls half his age or younger, at least 20% of the movie would involve car chases and stunts ending in explosions. Those movies have their place... glad this wasn't one of them. I would have ended with him laughing but hey. What do I know. I'm not even a real critic.

Susan Granger 2012-05-14 07:26:32

A smooth London lowlife discovers it's not quite as easy getting out of trouble as it is getting in.

nowonmai42 2012-05-13 21:43:56

Insert cake pun here

It's impressive that "Layer Cake," another British crime film with allthe genre's hallmarks, manages to keep things interesting. There'slittle here that hasn't been seen before: the hero who gets pulled indeeper the more he tries to get out, the missing valuables thateveryone wants, the hothead gangster who complicates things, and theold man who exudes menace through his calm demeanor. "Layer Cake" fallssomewhere between "Sexy Beast" and the capers of Guy Ritchie. Lesscerebral than the former, less manic and slap-happy than the latter, itsettles on a sort of flat detachment that keeps the frills to aminimum. And like its nameless protagonist, it's at times smarter thanit appears, while at others not as much as it thinks."Layer Cake"'s criminal world is typically complex and convoluted, buttrickier to follow than many similar films owing to a lack of colorfulcharacter monikers like the Butcher, the Blade, or Bullet-Tooth. Whatkind of underworld is this, populated by Jimmys and Eddies and Larrys?Such simplicity is reflected in the work philosophy of our protagonist,a drug ring middleman. Keep your operations to a manageable size, limityour professional contacts, don't get greedy, and retire rich andhappy. Easy enough in theory, but inevitably complicated when yoursupplier charges you with tracking down the runaway daughter of an oldfriend. Even dicier when the shipment of ecstasy he tells you to moveturns out to have been stolen from a gang of murderous Serbianex-militaries. And that's just the set up.Of course things are not what they seem. Some or all of these elementsare macguffins, which direct many of the film's characters away fromthe coming double, triple, and quadruple crosses as efficiently as theydo the audience. Each layer of treachery our hero uncovers comes withit another person with a reason to kill him. As he reminds us invoice-over, though, being a middleman is about bringing peopletogether; drop out at the right moment and they'll just crash directlyinto one another."Layer Cake" doesn't strictly cheat to unravel its plot machinations,but does rely on some unlikely help from some characters to resolveitself. It's largely gratifying, though, to follow mostly smartcharacters doing their best to outwit each other, as in QuentinTarantino's "Jackie Brown." The film indeed owes a tip of the cap tothe crime goulash made famous by Elmore Leonard. The hoods of "LayerCake" have no permanent alliances nor loyalties. Everyone gets alongfine as long as they all play by the rules, which in a film like thisis as likely as a cameo by Pauly Shore. The end, shamelessly pinchedfrom Brian de Palma, feels a bit abrupt and tacked-on, but nonethelessfits the film's overarching logic. Uncovered bases can expose sharppoints that stick just when you think you're clear. Sometimes it's notenough to be the smartest guy in the room.

Brendan 2012-05-13 07:16:40

I'll die before I take orders from a computer

An excellent movie. What really brought this movie over the top was the superb directing.This is not a movie for light viewing. Extraordinarily complex, it required multiple viewings to fully understand and appreciate.

collipal-1 2012-05-12 13:50:22

Very good film

Layer cake is a very good thriller.Matthew Vaughn made a solid debutwith this film.The story is very difficult to understand,so you musthave a lot of attention.If you distract a second you won't understandanything.I didn't have much expectations with this film,so I took anice surprise,because this film is really fun from the beginning untilthe end.I think that Daniel Craig is perfect as the main character.LikeI said before,you need to have a lot of attention with this film.I lovethis kind of films where you don't need to distract a second.I thinkthat this is a very solid movie and I recommend it and it would beinteresting to watch Vaughn's next projects.

tyler-and-jack 2012-05-10 10:00:49

Matthew Vaughn deals in great movies.

Layer Cake is an important movie for a number of reasons. Firstly, it'sthe film that saw the hugely talented Matthew Vaughn step out from theshadow of Guy Ritchie (he'd previously been producer on Ritchie'smovies). Secondly, it showed Daniel Craig's leading man potential andeven, yes, gives him a Bond moment. Thirdly, it showed that Britishcrime movies could still be fresh and entertaining without comingacross as some pale Lock, Stock-wannabe. Fourth . . . . okay, I'm notsure if there are any more reasons so I'll stop there. But Layer Cakeis certainly more, thanks to what it achieved, than just another UKgangster movie.The story revolves all around Daniel Craig's smart drug dealer, a manwho wants to make his million and get out of the business. Of course,anyone who makes the big shots a lot of money will always struggle toextricate themselves from the criminal lifestyle and that's exactly thecase here. Avoiding the police, trying to stay alive and setting up adeal involving a million stolen pills, Craig really has his work cutout for him.Mixing a smart script with great performances (Craig is superb but he'smore than capably supported by the likes of Kenneth Cranham, ColmMeaney, Michael Gambon and everyone else who appears alongside him),cool visuals and an ideal soundtrack this film may not cover any newground but it gives everything a fresh coat of paint with it'seasygoing, effortless air of . . . . cool. This film has style inabundance. That's not to say that it glorifies the lifestyles shown orany of the violence we see, hell no. There are people here we'd neverwant to meet in real life and when things erupt into violence they doso with absolute brutality, impacting on the lives of those involved.There are no consequence-free, thoughtless actions here. Everything isweighed up and accounted for, even if it's after the fact.It's an absolute corker of a film that has grown on me with eachsubsequent viewing. I'm sure that many others will still simply cast itaside as "yet another British gangster flick" but that's not the caseand I hope that others give it a chance and end up enjoying it as muchas I do.See this if you like: Snatch, Gangster No. 1, Criminal.

DVD_Connoisseur 2012-05-09 13:38:43

Entertaining low-budget British gangster movie

"Layer Cake" is an entertaining low-budget British gangster moviestarring a pre-Bond Daniel Craig as an affluent cocaine dealer whofinds himself in deep water when he bites off more than he can chew.Craig's an interesting actor but I couldn't warm to him. He's toodetached, too cold...this may have something to do with the part he'splaying in "Layer Cake" or it may just be that he's such an unusuallooking chap (for a lead role). Craig manages the difficult feat ofbeing photogenic and film star-ugly at the same time.While I enjoyed the film, I wish the director, Matthew Vaughn, hadincluded more humour. I know this was a deliberate move and he wantedto avoid a "Lock, Stock #2" but a few light moments would have made adifference. As it stands, there is humour in "Layer Cake" but it'spretty dark stuff. It's a twisting, slightly confusing plot, but thatmay have had something to do with my attention span rather than thedirector's ability to spin a story.A quick mention must go to Sienna Miller who is simply gorgeous. Herbrief appearances in "Layer Cake" brighten up proceedings considerably.So, not a brilliant film by any means but worth a viewing to see Londonlooking amazing, Craig before he donned his 007 tux, and Sienna Miller.Oh, and some great character acting from the cast.A well-paced Brit flick. 7 out of 10.

Eric Harrison 2012-05-09 13:17:41

A gangster film, despite what its title suggests, that ranks with the best of the genre.

Elsa 2012-05-09 09:43:49

What the hell even happens?

DISCLAIMER: I may or may not have actually followed this filmthoroughly enough to validate a review.What a god awful film, from the bits and pieces I do recall.Cinematography-wise, the shots were gorgeous. But the plot wascontrived, complete with long-winded dialogue and flat actors whomumble incoherently and think they're really animated but are, in allactuality, just incredibly dull.I recommend the following drinking game for LC: at any point that youdo not understand a line that a character has uttered, take a shot oftequila. You'll get alcohol poisoning faster than you can say, "Let'shave a cup of tea, Mr. Hurst."I'm ashamed that a brilliant director like Matthew Vaughn can put outcheeky pieces like Kick Ass.. as well as the pretentious scum that isLayer Cake.Do not watch this movie, unless your name rhymes with ShGreg, your leftteste is crushed beyond repair, and you have lamentable taste in films.

Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone 2012-05-03 23:41:14

Nice look, but there's more promise than delivered goods.

asylumseeker 2012-05-03 10:08:11

A completely silly film

This film is a waste of time. It pretends to be something other than anormal brainless Guy Ritchie style British gangster film, but that'sexactly what it is. It has pretensions towards being something akin toGoodfellas or the Godfather, but it simply lacks the credibility tofall into such a category. The idea that a middle class non-entity likethe character played by Daniel Craig could be a successful cocainedealer is ludicrous to begin with, but the threshold of credulity iswell and truly smashed when we discover that the arch-villain in thefilm is played by a particularly unconvincing Michael Gambon. Gamboncomes across as a librarian putting on a fake Cockney accent, not as anestablished criminal kingpin. This film also tries to be The UsualSuspects by placing twists and turns in the plot, but they are pulledoff in such an artificial and contrived way that they just seem absurd.The film is entertaining enough, but mediocre overall.

rad1701 2012-05-03 04:00:19

Excellent and involving!

This movie was terrific. From start to finish it keeps you involved inthe ever shifting and deepening plot. Daniel Craig is terrific and fromthis I can see why he might just be the next next James Bond. He hasthat same cool under pressure. Plus he just looks like a secret agent,even if he doesn't play that type of role here. The supporting cast wasgreat as well. Keep in mind this movie requires you to pay attentionand follow all the moving parts and players. It keeps you guessing fromthe start to the end. Any fan of detailed plots with bad guys trying to"do the right thing" will enjoy this film a lot. The scenery was fun tosee as well. You never know exactly where it's all taking place. It hasa nice European flair to it. And the music is a mix of various songsthat really suit the mood of the scenes. Now I have to go watch itagain and pick up the little things I missed the first time.

Hanh Nguyen 2012-05-02 21:23:09

Everyone is believable, sometimes frighteningly so.

Lawrence Toppman 2012-04-30 01:09:35

Full of quirky types who populate Guy Ritchie movies but set forth with more clarity and higher style.

roddick-1 2012-04-29 11:47:13

Great new gangster movie

Being a fan of gangster movies and eager to see what the new James Bondis like I saw Layer Cake and it blew my expectations away. It is agreat new gangster movie, exciting, suspenseful and funny.Daniel Craig does a great job as his unnamed character. George Harrisand Colm Meaney who play his friends and business partners are great aswell. The story is original and has plenty of great twists. I will belooking for the novel it's based on. Matthew Vaughn does a great jobdirecting. The movie always looks very cool and stylish.It will definitely be liked by fans of the genre and will probablyappeal to anybody else too. It brings gangster movies to a whole newlevel. Highly recommended.

kenjha 2012-04-25 16:56:43

Stale Cake

A drug dealer's plan to retire is put on hold when his boss asks himtake on a couple of tough assignments. Vaughn, the producer of "Lock,Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch" tries his hand atdirecting but should have left the job to Guy Ritchie. Vaughn tries tobe slick but is annoying, stressing style over substance and revelingin gratuitous violence. Not that the substance is all that interestinganyway. The plot is hopelessly convoluted with too many uninterestingcharacters that are hard to keep track of. There are many things leftunexplained. Craig plays the antithesis of Bond here, a cowardly fellowwho hates guns and tries to run when thing get hot.

2012-04-25 01:39:06

A straightforward genre piece done with panache

An unnamed drug dealer in London learns the primary rule of hisprofession, which is that there's always somebody above you ready tomake your life miserable. Basically a straightforward genre piece --there are fifty kazillion versions of the "professional criminal triesto retire but has to do one more favor that's more than what he firstrealizes" -- helped along with a fine, starmaking performance by DanielCraig (heir to Steve McQueen) and some slick direction by Vaughn. I'mparticularly impressed by how well Vaughn compresses a lot ofinformation in a few visuals. The script is a bit busy, but except forone sequence which seems to be there mostly to give one character amoment of glory generally makes sense. Worth a look.