Layer Cake (2004)

Posted : 11 months, 2 weeks ago at Nov 24 22:21

"I'm not a gangster. I'm a businessman whose commodity happens to be cocaine." Obviously descended from the creative vision of Quentin Tarantino (and, to an extent, Guy Ritchie), Layer Cake is an enjoyably slick, visually ornate British gangster movie which provided Daniel Craig with the star-making role he deserved. Prior to his directorial debut here, director Matthew Vaughn had worked as a producer on Guy Ritchie's Snatch. and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Therefore this particular film is similarly energised and violent. Despite all this, Vaughn's low-budget crime picture falls under the unfortunate category of "Just Another British Gangster Movie". As it joyfully rattles along at an invigorating speed, it's somewhat deficient in originality and it's virtually impossible to e...Read more

Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago at Mar 26 6:34

Grand Assault, I think perhaps you went in post-Casino Royale impression of Daniel Craig. I saw this film a year or so ago, way before Craig was even announced as the new Bond. When I seen it, he was a complete nobody, and maybe that's why I enjoyed the film so much. In terms of cliches that are found in guns'n'drugs gangster movies, yeah, it's probably same as all others in the genre, but what makes gangster films stand out are 'memorable scenes' and killer soundtrack, which is why a so-so average film like Pulp Fiction did so well and is loved by so many. And IMO, Layer Cake has a ton of them as well. The beating-with-coffee-pot scene, the dance club scene, the sniper scene, the wicked ending, the cell phone call with Dragan the assassin, and I especially loved the whole scene whe...Read more

Rating : 10/10

Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago at Mar 23 17:11

Going into this film I really didn't care much for Daniel Craig, but at the end of it I was left more indifferent than disgusted. I liked his character in this film, he reminded me a lot of myself after all!

The plot was nothing new. If, like me, you've become almost immune to the British gangster double cross movie, you'll just be looking for other redeeming features for the film. Everything you'd expect is there; Abrupt, colourful language, a certain unfamiliarity with guns, drugs, an ice cold urbanite as the main character... this film doesn't really evolve past that expected set of cliches.

I wouldn't not recommend it, but I certainly don't think it's anything special.

Rating : 6/10

Posted : 3 years ago at Nov 7 12:42

Daniel Craig (the new James Bond actor) stars in this film has a great story line, lots of memorable scenes and characters, awesome quotes, and a certain 'coolness' factor to it that usually only Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino flicks can achieve. The plot starts off relatively simple, with 1 million ecstasy pills being stolen by Duke from Amsterdam and attempted to be dumped into XXXX's territory (Daniel is unnamed in the film, hence the XXXX). Sensing something is not right, XXXX tries to give this deal a pass, but its already too late as the boss from Amsterdam has already sent out a hitman on Duke and everyone associated with him. Then throw in 2 or 3 subplots to the mix, and several double-crosses and triple-crosses, and you have yourself one great movie. This movie needs mo...Read more

Rating : 10/10