Ex-safecracker Gal Dove has served his time behind bars and is blissfully retired to a Spanish villa paradise with a wife he adores. The idyll is shattered by the arrival of his nemesis Don Logan, intent on persuading Gal to return to London for one last big job.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Gary “Gal” Dove: Ray Winstone
- Don Logan: Ben Kingsley
- Teddy Bass: Ian McShane
- Deedee Dove: Amanda Redman
- Aitch: Cavan Kendall
- Jackie: Julianne White
- Enrique: Álvaro Monje
- Harry: James Fox
- Andy: Robert Atiko
- Air Hostess: Nieves del Amo Oruet
- Pilot: Enrique Alemán Fabrega
- Spanish Official: Gérard Barray
- Felipe’s Friend 1: José Maria Cano Ramos
- Jean: Desirée Erasmus
- Policia 2: Santiago Frías Muñoz
- Ginger Air Steward: José Hernández
- Maruja / Matronly Woman: Ana Maldonado Herreria
- Jimmy: Andy Lucas
- Policia 1: José Lirola Ramos
- Felipe’s Friend 2: José López Carrillo
- Steward 2: Antonio Fco. Márquez Quesada
- Policia 4: Juan Manuel Martínez Cobos
- Felipe: Dionisio Mesa
- Bruno: Eddie O’Connell
- Mike: Terence Plummer
- Man on Plane: Manuel Sánchez Berlanca
- Pete: Frank Scinto
- Stan: Darkie Smith
- Raymond: Rocky Taylor
- Nicky: Chris Webb
- Policia 3: Pedro Zamora Hernández
Film Crew:
- Producer: Jeremy Thomas
- Casting: Lucy Boulting
- Costume Design: Louise Stjernsward
- Original Music Composer: Roque Baños
- Editor: John Scott
- Screenplay: Louis Mellis
- Screenplay: David Scinto
- Director: Jonathan Glazer
- Editor: Sam Sneade
- Associate Producer: Hercules Bellville
- Associate Producer: Peter Watson
- Director of Photography: Ivan Bird
- Visual Effects Supervisor: Mark Nelmes
- Production Supervisor: Mark Albela
- Co-Producer: Denise O’Dell
- Additional Music: Unkle
- Supervising Sound Editor: Jeremy Price
- Visual Effects Producer: Rachael Penfold
- First Assistant Director: Kieron Phipps
- Production Design: Jan Houllevigue
- Dialogue Editor: Rory Farnan
- Set Decoration: Jane Cooke
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: But quite frankly your attitude appalls me. It’s not what you’re saying. It’s all this stuff you’re not saying. Insinnuendos.
Sexy Beast is directed by Jonathan Glazer and written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. It stars Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Amanda Redman, Cavan Kendall, James Fox and Julianne White. Music is by Roque Baños and cinematography by Ivan Bird.
Retired to the Costa del Chill Out, retired thief Gary ‘Gal’ Dove (Winstone) finds his tranquil existence shattered when menacing gangster Don Logan (Kingsley) arrives on the scene demanding Gal goes back to London to do another job.
2000 saw a slew of British gangster films released. The success of “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” opened the door for film makers keen to do their bit for Brit Grit. As is always the way, quality varies, but the class of 2000 had a healthy rate of good ‘uns, of which Sexy Beast is a proud operator.
The story is very thin, very film noir, an ex bad boy doing one last job that risks everything he has settled down for, but there’s a panache to how the makers construct the tale. It helps that it’s boosted by a ferocious performance from Kingsley, who is given licence to unleash his dark half, as he swears, stares, gets violent and has a general disregard for anyone but himself.
Director Glazer, in what was his film after breaking out from advertisements and music videos, shows a keen eye for stylist visuals and attention grabbing scenes. He opens with an outrageous sequence of Gal sun bathing by his pool, the sun burning down, and then a giant boulder thunders into view and lands in the pool! All set to the sound of “The Stranglers” single “Peaches”. Quite a way to announce yourself in film.
The first half of film is the best, set at Gal’s Spanish villa, Glazer neatly frames the characters (Gal lives with his wife and his two friends from England live nearby) as they bicker and cower in the shadow of Logan, who wouldn’t be beyond sending them all to hell if he doesn’t get his way. It’s sweaty and tense, a coiled spring like atmosphere tells us something is going to give – and it does. The second half of the piece is not so tense or thrilling, though the robbery has a whiff of genius about it, but the pay off works well because Gal has earned our respect, as has his fellow sun seekers. Sexy Beast is not just sexy (tongue in cheeks for the makers), it’s beefy and brutal, but also strangely beautiful as well. Nice. 8/10
- talisencrw: The other day, my lady Tammy and I watched director Glazer’s recent ‘Under the Skin’ and loved its otherworldly wackiness and ambience, and as I had his first two films on DVD, we decided that at the very least, this first one demanded immediate investigation. I’ve adored Ray Winstone’s work since his early days working in the films of Sir Alan Clarke, and Ben Kingsley’s always a treat. Watching the characters brought back such awesome memories of my teenage days, travelling throughout England and continental Europe in December, 1986, as well. We can’t wait to hopefully check out ‘Birth’ later this week…This was definitely one of the best and most original British gangster movies since the likes of ‘The Long Good Friday’ and ‘Mona Lisa’ from that era…