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Back Shelf Beauties
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Layer Cake Daniel "he might be 007" Craig stars as the lead character with no name - a middle man between major drug suppliers and low rent drug dealers. His middle class status in the crime world is a profitable business for him, and one that has paved the way for his planned early retirement. However, he has been asked to do one last favor for a major crime lord, Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham). Charlotte Ryder, a drug addict and the daughter of Jimmy's pal Edward (Michael Gambon), has gone missing. Jimmy wants her found no matter what it takes, and failure is not an option. Also, Craig's character has been trying to strike a deal to purchase a million ecstasy pills from some low life hoods led by Duke (Jamie Foreman). Jimmy wants the deal done, but it gets more complicated when we find out Duke stole the pills from a very powerful supplier who wants his pills returned. Can he get out of this mess and retire? Who can be trusted? Layer Cake is a great movie for anyone who enjoys films like The Godfather, Goodfellas or the Guy Ritchie British gang/mafia movies. With well developed characters, plenty of double dealing to complicate the plot and fantastic direction, Layer Cake is a fabulous movie about the underworld we only want to visit on film. Director Matthew Vaughn gives the movie a gritty, grimy look that sucks you in and reminds you how dirty this business is even when we are supposed to be dealing with the upper class. He plays with the timeline to give us important information and background when needed, and even shows us facts and scenes the characters wish they knew when we did. This style and pace makes the audience pay attention enough to avoid talking throughout the movie. Music supervisor Liz Gallacher adds to the tone of the film by choosing great music that captures the mood of each scene, and gives you an idea about what a character is thinking if you know the song and lyrics. It's done subtlety, which is so appreciated when most music is used in an overly obvious manner in TV, movie and radio production. Additionally, writer J.J. Connolly (who also wrote the novel Layer Cake) fills the movie with, to be overly obvious, layers. We learn about the layers of criminals within the crime world, the layers of truth, the layers to each character and more. He brings it all to life with brutal dialogue and shocking twists and turns that make you wonder who should be trusted just as much as Craig's character is trying to figure it out. Topping off Layer Cake is a great, all-star acting ensemble. Craig is wonderful as the cocky guy brought down to size by those who resent his success as he achieves a level of independence and ability they want to control. We get to watch him become more desperate by the minute and wonder if he can do what is necessary to get back on top and figure out the plot that has been hatched beneath the surface. After seeing this performance, where he has to toughen up the character and engage in some action scenes, the idea of him possibly playing James Bond is more palatable. The rest of the actors including Gambon, Colm Meaney and George Harris each peels away the layers to their characters as the movie progresses, which allows us to see the ugliness they try to hide until the façade no longer serves their purposes. Layer Cake opens in NY and LA on May 13, and will open in other cities over the coming weeks. 4 Waffles (Out of 4) Copyright 2005 - WaffleMovies.com
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