Layer Cake
From Matthew Vaughn, the producer of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch comes Layer Cake. This soon-to-be-classic British gangster film defines itself by being smart, stylish and witty. It stars Daniel Craig (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Road to Perdition), Colm Meaney, Sienna Miller (Alfie) and Michael Gambon.
The drug dealer “X” (Daniel Craig) is close to his goal of retiring at 30. He has maintained some personal rules to success. Be neat, polite, discrete, and use a small team. Additionally stick to the plan, and keep away from pompous gangsters who are in it to be cool. But not everyone in the London crime world has been looking forward to a profitable dealer like “X” leaving. “X” suddenly finds himself set-up and entangled in a larger scam involving highly dangerous drug lords in the European crime world. To escape his problem, the drug world, and keep his life, he must use his intelligence and adapt to the rules that those above him in the Layer-cake play by.
Like Vaughn’s previous works, Layer Cake is highly driven by memorable, charismatic, and eccentric characters. The plot twists and turns with unpredictable and hilarious results, while coming together masterfully with a brilliant ending. Layer Cake is filmed with slick angles, classy backdrops, and moody settings. The soundtrack is very ‘British Gangster.’ But how does Layer Cake compare? This film has a ‘feel’ closer to that of Lock Stock rather then Snatch, and the dialogue, whilst snappy and highly quotable seems more natural than some of the snappy highly quotable dialogue of other gangster films (“I shall strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger, those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers…”)
Matthew Vaughn draws you into an engaging gangster world, which you won’t want to leave. Layer Cake is an A-grade film, in the tradition of modern British gangster flicks, yet carves its own place through its unique style, sophistication, and wit.
8/10
Michael Hill
