Layer Cake (2004)

In 7 words or less: Crims, coke, pills, guns and tracksuits

What's it all About? A London drug dealer decides that on completion of his next big deal he is going to get out of the business. Unfortunately things get complicated and he gets dragged into the ruthless underworld of a drugs heist gone wrong.

This does not appear

Best bits? The chemistry between the main protagonists is sharp and believable and Michael Gambon is on great pre wizard form. As far as individual scenes go, the one that has the cafe stuff inter-spliced with the construction yard is both brutal and intriguing. 

'Where's my bloody wand?'

Did it make you think thoughts? I'm a big fan of gangster/crime films. I should clarify that statement. Anything set in the US during prohibition, yes. Anything with Cagney, Bogart or Pacino, yes. Stylish crime thrillers like Heat, yes. British gangster/crime films from the last 20 years, no. Lock Stock, Rocknrolla and all those other cockney crapfests are not for me which may have you wondering why I cranked up a cheese toastie, grabbed a Dr Pepper, plonked myself on the sofa and proceeded to give this a go. The fact is, I had been at my buddy Ben's (fellow Slumpy) barbeque and he mentioned he had seen this last week and quite liked it. Now, being a slack jaw like he is, he failed to pop up a review so it looks like it's been left to yours truly. 

They couldn't find the ironing board

Essentially what we have here is all the standard stuff you find in these kind of films. A boat load of characters, multiple plots threads that are at times hard to follow, way more twists and turns than are necessary, and a smattering of humour to go alongside the violence.

I'm not normally a Daniel Craig fan (worst Bond ever) and at the start he really grates with his stupid voice and boring stoney face. The thing is, as the film went on, his performance grew on me a bit. The pace of the film helps in that it all moves along at a good clip although that does mean you really need to pay attention to who's who. 

Would you watch it again? I'm in no great rush to watch it again but it didn't offend me so maybe in a couple of years time I'll give it another go.

Rating (out of 100%): The big advantage this has over other recent Brit crime capers is that it doesn't try to be too clever or smug or be too pretentious with flashy camera work and effects (apart from the end which seems tacked on for no particular reason). I give Layer Cake a battenburgish 67%