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Starring |
Ray Winstone
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Ben Kingsley
,
Amanda Redman
,
Ian McShane
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Directed By |
Jonathan Glazer
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Audio
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DTS HD 5.1
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Visuals
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16:9 Widescreen
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Running Time |
88 mins
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UK Release Date |
June 15, 2009
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Genre |
Drama
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Our Rating |
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User Rating |
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Jonathan Glazer’s first venture into feature film territory (after directing numerous iconic music videos for the likes of Radiohead as well as award-winning Guinness commercials), is a stylised, darkly comic and off-kilter gangster thriller, with a smart script, plenty of visual flare and a selection of extraordinary performances that helped to set the film apart from the late 90s flurry of Brit gangster flicks.
Ray Winstone stars as Gary ‘Gal’ Dove, an ex-London criminal who is enjoying the retired life in sunny Spain with his wife, DeeDee (Redman). Little do they know that their blissful lifestyle is about to be torn apart by the arrival of Don Logan (Kingsley), an old associate of Gal’s, who hopes to coax Gal back to London for one final job.
Kingsley’s over-the-top, ticking timebomb turn as the mentally unstable Don Logan is key to the film’s appeal, while terrific performances from Winstone, Redman and McShane (chilling as criminal head honcho, Teddy Bass) re-emphasises the casting genius behind the project.
The terrific visuals benefit greatly from the Blu-ray upgrade, with the blistering, scorching sunlit shots from the opening sequence (featuring a sweaty, lobster-red Winstone in those iconic yellow trunks) looking blindingly bright, sharp and colourful. The picture is generally clean and free of grain throughout, and even darker scenes reveal plenty of crystal clear clarity.
The audio is equally as impressive, with the sporadic thumping soundtrack boasting impressive bursts of deep, booming bass, while dialogue always remains clear and crisp.
The special features don’t include any Blu-ray exclusives unfortunately, and the low-key commentary with producer, Jeremy Thomas and actor, Ben Kingsley, is the only worthwhile supplement from the old DVD package.
Overall Verdict: A visually striking black comedy that benefits from its hi-def makeover.
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Producer Jeremy Thomas And Actor Ben Kingsley
Behind The Scenes Featurette
Trailers
TV Spot
Reviewer: Lee Griffiths