This
could very well be the very best gangster flick I have seen
since "The Godfather", and that clears out both
"Casino" and "Goodfellas". It is very
difficult to tread ground that has to be trod, especially in
gangster pictures, but director Paul McGuigan has found a way to
do it, and does so with a touch of excellence I haven't seen in
a long time from a director. This will certainly be prominent
on my end of the year list.
The central character in this story is a man who goes by the
name of Young Gangster/Gangster 55. He is portrayed in his
youth by the fantastic Paul Bettany, and as an older gentleman
by Malcolm McDowell. Gangster 55 works for a successful
club owner and thug, played by David Thewlis. Gangster 55
aspires to be just like Thewlis, and even develops somewhat of a
romantic interest in the man. When Thewlis falls for
Saffron Burrows, Gangster 55 becomes enraged with jealousy and
hatches an ingenious scheme to seek revenge for his fallen
emotions.
This film features the most eerily violent piece of cinema I
have ever witnessed, involving the central character's attempt
to kill Jamie Forman, hoping to blame the murder on Thewlis.
The way in which the deed is carried out is disgusting, violent,
but extremely powerful and sinister--truly the best murder scene
from any gangster film, and that covers a whole lot of ground.
Paul Bettany continues to dazzle me, as his performance in this
film warrants extreme recognition. Malcolm McDowell seems to
be cakewalking as he carries this film on his shoulders,
and David Thewlis is nasty enough and snobby enough to meet the
needs of his role perfectly.
I
was never bored in this picture, and was constantly in awe at
the level of talent belonging to director McGuigan, who
transformed what could have been just another Tarantino rip-off
into a film that pleased me far more than "Pulp
Fiction". There are so many memorable characters and
scenes in this film, it is hard for me to fathom why this film
hasn't seen a wider release, though the incredible amounts of
violence may be one of the causes. Every film fanatic
should see this movie, as should every fan of "The
Godfather" and Scorsese, just to see that they can be
topped--that they can be bested at their own game.
This marvelous motion picture
delivers in numerous ways and it is one of the best films I have
seen this year. For the rest of my life, if someone asks
me to name my Top 3 gangster flicks of all-time, rest assured, I
will not finish speaking until I have uttered the words,
"Gangster No. 1".
