journal features

movie review - Sexy Beast

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

Vancouver, 2002.03.16

It was the rave reviews of Ben Kingsley's performance in this one that drew me to see this flick. Kingsley has been one of my favourite actors for a long time, and I thought it would be interesting to see him try his hand at a gangster. It wasn't.

I'm not sure exactly what the intention was with this film, but Kingsley's menacing appearance and pathetic instability didn't quite jibe with the rest of the characters. What's more, there was just too much characterisation stuffed into this thing. And Kingsley's thug was just set among them like a bull in a china shop; just when something's getting set up, it's torn down by his ridiculous antics.

I really didn't get the gist of a couple of the key conversations, and those that I could follow were all stilted to the point of almost cartoonishness. All very strange.

Not recommended.

rand()m quote

It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.

—Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.