Layer Cake

May 27, 2006

Rated: R Runtime: 105 min Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Layer cake is about a former drug dealer/ small time hood/ middle man, on the verge of retirement and the difficulties associated with getting out once you decide you’ve had enough… It would seem CRIME does pay; Problem is you have to keep working or there will come a time, when crime asks to be paid back, and some guys aren’t ready to write that check. This movie is about how to keep that particular day from ever coming.

Layer Cake The main character (Craig), known only as XXXX, is the above mentioned wannabe-retiree and the story weaves in and around his involvement with what seems like the bulk of the British underworld. XXXX is waiting to pick up the profits from his latest score (and disappear) when he is approached by Jimmy Price and asked to do him a favor. Jimmy needs XXXX and his crew to locate the daughter of a business associate and return her safely, and he doesn’t care how it gets done, just that it get done quickly. Which as we all know from these kinds of films, this is never a good thing for the guy who’s asked to do it. Oh well, live and learn!

XXXX accepts the offer and sets out to find the missing girl and her crack head boyfriend, while at the same time attempting to broker a deal for a very large quantity of Extacy that he is about to procure. Moving and shaking at every turn, you have to know it will not end well.

Things do not go as planned, and then the real story kicks off. XXXX’s contact that was supposed to ‘buy’ the X decided instead to steal it, and during the robbery accidentally killed an associate of the Serbian mafia that ultimately leads to the entire crew having to dodge bullets from a hitman that’s been hired to eliminate those responsible. And, anyone involved with them, including our unlucky hero and his crew. Enuff of that just watch it!

Guns, gore, drugs and headless bodies pile up as double cross after double cross leads the viewer through a constant maze of confusion and deception. In a good way, I promise!

You will dig it if you like British crime flicks like Lock Stock and Snatch - Did I mention this film is directed by the same guy that produced those other two? If not, I am now. And, Matthew Vaughn in my opinion is better at story telling and direction than Guy Ritchie so if you had to call the three films a trilogy this is the best of the three, IMNHO.

Lastly, the acting is excellent and if the performance Daniel Craig gives in this film is any indication, he will be a kick arse Bond, even if he is Blonde. Sienna Miller is as fine as she ever was and the rest of the cast is great so there is no reason not to own this movie.

In short - Layer Cake is an old fashioned caper film with multiple twists and turns, that tells one heck of a story and anyone who is a fan of good crime flicks *MUST* see this one.

Posted by J.C. Edwards | Filed Under 4 Stars, Colm Meaney, DVD, Daniel Craig, Drama, George Harris, Michael Gambon, R, Sienna Miller, Thriller