Hey folks, Harry here... Advertising this film as from the producer of LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS or SNATCH - well - it's just not that type of movie. Sure it's a smart man in the crime world trying his own variation of wiggling out of an uncracked egg without busting his yolk, but this egg is hard boiled and not sappy. Now - this fellow carried those movies in with him and it took a bit of effort to adjust to the film. Having said that, this fellow enjoyed the movie, but didn't quite love it the way I did. Personally I dig LAYER CAKE, and that's not a lead in to a fat joke. Rather, it's the way it is.
Hey guys. I've sent in two reviews before...one was of the X2 novelization and the other was of a sneak preview of Finding Neverland. Today I decided to send in my thoughts on Layer Cake, which I caught on Sunday as a part of the Miami International Film Festival.
Well, as you all probably know by now, Layer Cake marks the directing debut of Guy Ritchie's producing partner Michael Vaughn. He did not stray from the genre that got them noticed, as Layer Cake is yet another British crime flick. Digression: I love me my crime flicks, or black comedy gangster pics, or whatever you wanna call them. Pulp Fiction (of course), Out of Sight, Sexy Beast, The Hard Word, and Snatch are just a few of the most recent ones I've enjoyed.
To compare this film to the work Vaughn has helped produce in the past, Layer Cake is something more like Sexy Beast (careful talkbackers, I know he didn't produce that one) than him and Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and of course Snatch. It's way more subdued and serious than Snatch. Not alot of crazy camera and editing tricks (though there are a few...digression: there's a brutal beating that takes place entirely from the victim's POV, and a quick camera zoom out during a pivotal shooting that really stood out and were well conceived), and the comedy is more subtle. There's nothing in this flick that resembles the dog eating the squeak toy, for example. Don't get me wrong, there is comedy in Layer Cake, but it's a serious crime flick with comedic moments, as opposed to Snatch, which was more of a black comedy with serious moments, at least in my opinion.
As for the plot, it's fairly typical gangster stuff that includes a main character who is planning to retire but is asked for one more favor, a MacGuffin (the main character is asked to find a girl by an old gangster friend), a stolen batch of ecstacy, and a whole bunch of double crossings. The standard plot of Layer Cake is a double edged sword, in my opinion, and may be what turns people off to the movie. It offers nothing new to the crime genre, especially with the British comedy crime drama, which we've seen alot of in the past few years. At least Snatch was original by using the already-mentioned intrusive directing style and a slew of wacky characters. I'm not saying that Vaughn should have copied Ritchie's style. His direction is just fine, and I'm sure he made a concious decision NOT to ape that style. But at least that's what made Snatch stand out a little bit more from other movies of its kind. Layer Cake doesn't really offer anything new...you won't be surprised by anything that happens, especially if you've seen alot of these types of movies.
However, an unoriginal story line doesn't bother me when it can be compensated for by skillful direction (check, in this case) and a solid cast. Which brings me to the best thing about this movie. The acting is pretty awesome, all around. Daniel Craig plays the main (nameless) character to perfection. He's got the cool demeanor of Clive Owen and Jason Statham, except not quite as much the badass. He's likeable enough to keep you rooting for his character. He also has a great chemistry with Colm Feore and George Harris (who I've never seen in a movie before), who play two of his allies in this twisted story. I loved watching the three of them together. George Harris's Morty in particular is great. He's a serious guy with a terrible temper, and has the best one liners of the film. The always reliable Michael Gambon also stands out as the father of the missing girl. Although, for some reason, he was unnaturally tanned. It was scary to look at.
So, in conclusion, if you like Guy Ritchie's movies, and if you like the British comedy crime noir subgenre, you should seek this movie out when it comes to your city. Don't expect another Snatch, and don't expect anything terribly original. Do expect skillful direction and a good cast. I , for one, had a good time watching Layer Cake.
Well, that's it. I should be back next week with a look at another flick from the Miami International Film Festival, Kontroll, a Hungarian flick about subway attendants that have to deal with a whole slew of problems all in one night. Never heard of it, nor do I know anything about it. I am very curious. Get well soon Harry. See ya.
-Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabadoo
