Sexy Beast (DVD 2001)

There isn't a boring minute in this movie. From the first minute, when you can actually feel the heat as Ray Winston lies sunning himself by the pool in his Spanish haven, away from the life of crime he has left behind, to the nailbiting conclusion you will be glued to the screen.

In between are some memorable performances from a host of excellent British actors, including Ian McShane, Amanda Redman and a performance that will stay with you forever when Ben Kingsley makes his appearance felt. The tension too leaps out of the screen at you when Mr Kingsley tells Gel(Dove the Love)Dove (Winstone) he is needed for one more job in England. Needless to say Winstone is superb in the lead role.

The dialogue is really something else, with 'simply superb' falling some way short...but that does not apply to Kingsley who manages to go one better. There is every chance you will look differently at yourself the next time you look in the mirror and a straight jacket most surely awaits you if you start quoting Mr Kingsley!

In a gangster caper film like only the British can make, a real gathering together of some great British character actors come together to give the viewing public this little cracker of a film.
Gal Dove is your archetypal ex-con, now living the life of Riley on the Costa del Crime in Spain. Accompanied by his ex-porn star wife, Deedee, Gal’s life consists of long lazy days by his pool in his luxury villa, and long alcohol filled evenings with his wife and their best friends. Not even the unexpected bombshell of a boulder falling into the pool can dent his joy at his “retirement”

Mind you the boulder in the pool is nothing compared to the real bombshell that befalls the Doves as they discover the one of Gal’s old mobster “friends” is coming to attempt to recruit Gal for “one last job” back in London. When Don Logan does burst onto the scene, all thoughts of turning this job down are forced from Gal’s mind as he is browbeaten into agreeing to the job. That’s not to say Don gets it all his own way though.

The “job” is a audacious attempt to rob a bank’s security boxes by drilling into the safe room from the Turkish Baths which are next door. Masterminded by Teddy Bass, he has befriended the manager of the bank and no doubt got some inside information.

Ray Winstone is more well known for his screaming madmen than his more measured reflective characters, but here he turns in a great play as the out of condition and reluctant Gal. The role of psychotic loony has been taken by Ben Kingsley who literally grabs any scene he appears in and makes one of the most convincing and frightening head-cases to have ever graced the screen. There’s great support from the lovely Amanda Redman as Deedee and Ian McShane also appears as the gangster boss Teddy Bass.

The only complaint I do have with the film, is that at only 83 minutes or so, it’s a little on the short side. I could have easily watched another ½ hour of these fun and games, so entertaining were they.