In the 1990s, Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels pretty much transformed perceptions of popular British movie-making, and sparked a rash of imitators - rash being the operative word because before long the home-made gangster movie trend became both extremely irritating and rather embarrassing.
No reason to hold that against Lock, Stock producer Matthew Vaughn however. And having collaborated again with Guy Ritchie on Snatch and overseen the remake of The Mean Machine, Vaughn has now turned director for the crime thriller Layer Cake which opens this week.
"Entertaining and well made"
His leading man is that familiar television star and rising film face Daniel Craig, who as the action begins is a very happy bloke. Having made a lot of money dealing cocaine and ecstasy he's on the verge of retiring. But a million ecstasy tablets have fallen into the hands of The Duke, who's as much of a clown as the ridiculous name would suggest. It becomes Craig's job to buy them so that his friend can sell them on at a profit, and events take a nasty turn.
Layer Cake is not a film which extends the boundaries of cinema. But if a very entertaining, well made, well acted piece of pulp fiction meets your needs then look no further.
A crisp story and strong script provide the platform for a terrific central performance by Daniel Craig as a formidably bright criminal, while the arrival of the splendid Michael Gambon, as the man who embodies the top layer of the criminal cake, immediately adds heart, gravitas and the kind of presence from which any film would benefit.
"Stylish direction"
It's true that, as I often find with British films, some of the minor performances make you wonder if the actors concerned are really ready for the big screen. And the plot does take the odd slightly implausible turn. But the film certainly works as a package, stylishly directed at a good pace by a gimmick-resistant Matthew Vaughn and embellished by a music score that hits the spot.
Layer Cake will be open for business from Friday 1st October, and I hope it succeeds because it deserves to do so.
Article published 29th September 2004. More from Film 2004.
