Sexy Beast

2001 "Yes or yes?"
7.3| 1h29m| R| en| More Info
Released: 15 June 2001 Released
Producted By: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

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.

... View More
Stream Online

Stream with STARZ

Director

Producted By

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trailers & Images

Reviews

seymourblack-1 Action, black comedy and violence all figure prominently in this tense crime drama that illustrates brilliantly how a combination of stylish presentation, good pacing and interesting characters can elevate a hackneyed plot into something special. Its story about an ex-criminal getting involved in "one last job" is told with great economy, quirkiness and realism and the dialogue (although heavily laden with profanities) is sharp, punchy and witty throughout.After a criminal career that ended with a prison sentence, ex-safe-cracker Gal Dove (Ray Winstone) has retired to a comfortable lifestyle in Spain's Costa del Sol where he enjoys living with his ex-porn star wife Deedee (Amanda Redman) and sunning himself by his villa's swimming pool. One day, his tranquillity is interrupted when a boulder unexpectedly tumbles down the steep hill just behind where he'd been sun bathing and after missing him by the narrowest of margins, comes to rest at the bottom of his pool. This scary incident turns out to be something of an omen, as shortly after, one of his old criminal associates arrives from London to try to persuade him to take part in a planned bank heist.The idyllic existence that Gal, Deedee and their best friends Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and Jackie (Julianne White) had shared up until that point ends abruptly with the arrival of Don Logan (Ben Kingsley). They're all terrified of this unhinged sociopath who they know, from previous experience, has an explosive temper and is capable of extreme violence. Gal doesn't want to get involved in any form of criminal activity again, especially as he'd promised Deedee that he wouldn't. She's the love of his life and he's desperate not to break his promise to her but also fully realises the threat that he's under if he doesn't do what Logan wants. The exchanges that take place when they all meet are characterised by extreme fear on the parts of the four local residents and a whole welter of diabolical threats made by the foul-mouthed Logan.A little while after the meeting at the villa, Gal arrives in London where he meets crime boss Teddy Bass (Ian McShane). He's the mastermind behind the plan to break into a safe-deposit vault from the Turkish bath establishment next door and as Logan works for him, he questions Gal about his recruiter's whereabouts. Gal tells him that the two men travelled back to London separately and claims that they'd spoken to each other by phone after Logan's arrival at Heathrow. Bass looks more than a little sceptical about this information but nevertheless, the heist goes ahead as planned and after it's completed successfully, Gal's anxiety remains at an almost unbearably high level until he gets back home with the intention of making a quick return to the life of leisure that he loves so much."Sexy Beast" provides a very authentic-looking picture of the London gangster fraternity and conveys just how threatening people like Logan and Bass are. Ben Kingsley makes a huge impact as Logan whose raging and determination not to take "no" for an answer, is incredibly unrelenting and makes any attempt at negotiation or reasoning totally impossible. Teddy Bass is more cultivated, soft-spoken and suave but also carries an enormous threat as is clearly shown in some of the action that follows the heist. Ian McShane makes his character's viciousness absolutely convincing and Ray Winstone, in a wonderfully sensitive performance, does a great job of making his flabby, gone-to-seed, ex-con into a really sympathetic character who's impossible to dislike. The quality of the supporting performances is also consistently top class.Amusingly, the boulder incident that came so close to killing Gal at the beginning of the story also provides him with an important solution to his life-threatening problem by the end of the story.
miguelangelluev Sexy Beast is the worst movie ever made, because of Ben Kingsley's performance as don Logan, it's irritant, it's stupid and it's like a big baby to makes his ex-friend go to London to make one big hit and this guy gal dove who lives in Spain he's says no to don and don says yes like five times he's still insisting make gal and don Logan he gets shot. the title of the movie ''sexy beast'' is stupid to make hot women who competed in the Olympic games to make more sexier, sexy beast is stolen by the 2012 movie Rapture-Palooza and the next film of sly Stallone white orchid which character says ''i am bigger than a sexy beast''
Spikeopath 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 land 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
LeonLouisRicci This is an Odd Film with an Even Odder Title. A British Gangster Movie that is One of Their Best. Heavy Accents Aside, it is Refreshing, and Hard-Boiled with Steaming Streaming Dialog and a Black-Comedy Edge with Profane Pronouncements and a Sizzling Performance by Ben Kingsley and the Other Cast Members do Great Work, Especially Ray Winstone and Ian McShane.It has Style to Burn and is a Clever Composite of Character Dimension that is Slightly Unusual. There is a Sweet Side to it All as with the Unconditional Love Between the Ex-Gangster and the Ex-Porn Star.Glitzy and Glamorous, the Film is Offbeat and Offensive to Sensitive Types but it Cannot be Denied the Impact it has had on Fans and Critics Alike. It's Foul Mouth May Turn Off Some but the Dialog is Delivered in a Surreal Fashion with Echoes of Impromptu.Overall, it is a Film that can be Divisive but is Gritty Enough and Different Enough (from the goofy Guy Ritchie Movies) to be Recommended for Fans of Neo-Noir and Character Studies. Great Cast and a Great Debut from a Director that has been Surprisingly Absent. Jonathan Glazer Needs to Make More Movies.