Sexy Beast (2001)
Directed by Jonathan Glazer
Written by Louis Mellis David Scinto
Starring Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane
Release Date June 15th, 2001
Published March 13th, 2002
All the talk has been about Ben Kingsley's Oscar nominated turn in the British gangster drama, Sexy Beast. Beast is an unsatisfying genre exercise somewhat elevated by Kingsley's blistering performance.
Sexy Beast is the story of retired British gangster named Gale and played by Ray Winstone. Gale is living the high life in Spain with his beautiful wife in a gorgeous, idyllic Spanish villa. Things are going well until a friend informs him that an old associate from England is coming to town to offer him a job he can't refuse. This isn't just any old associate though; this is the infamous Don Logan.
We aren't introduced to Logan necessarily, but the faces of the people discussing him tell the audience everything we need to know. We eventually see Logan, played by Ben Kingsley, and though he is not physically imposing, we quickly see why people are afraid of him. Logan has no time for small talk, has no apparent sense of humor and seems as if he would piss on you as much as talk to you.
Tbe plot turns on Gale's attempts to turn down Logan's offer but Logan won't hear of it, screaming and threatening him all the while firing expletives like bullets. Logan's words are so raw and so fiery that when he speaks people duck out of the way. Kingsley's ability to be menacing with manner, with presence, and with the expert deployment of four letter words.
Unfortunately the rest of the film can't match Kingsley's pace or energy. The job Logan wants Gale to do is not all that interesting in setup or execution. And to be honest, I'm not sure I knew just what the job was because by the time the film gets to it, Kingsley's out of the picture and I had lost interest.
Ray Winstone is a good actor but here, he seems lackadaisical, as if he isn't much interested in what's going on. I understand that some of that is by design but it's not helped by Winstone having to be compared to Kingsley's fiery performance. The man formerly known as Lovejoy, Ian Mcshane, has a supporting role as the mob boss who sets the plot in motion but all he did for me was provide an opportunity to make jokes about Lovejoy.
The cinematography of Sexy Beast is outstanding. Cinematographer Ivan Bird gives the film a gorgeously sun-baked look. Bird also innovates with an incredible boulders eye view scene early in the film as a boulder rolls toward Gale's home, one thematically reminiscent of the unstoppable force that is Kingsley's Logan. I also want to highlight the film's soundtrack, provided by British star Unkle. His energy is fitting of Kingsley's Logan in the most unexpected ways.
Ben Kingsley more than shows why he is Oscar nominated for this performance, he is awesome. If the rest of the film were as good as him it would be a Best Picture candidate.
