Review of Gangster No. 1

1968: A ruthless young mobster (a sublimely chilling and mesmerizing performance by Paul Bettany) desperately wants to emulate his mentor Freddie Mays (the excellent David Thewlis), a suave crime kingpin who lords over London. The gangster literally murders his way to the top, betraying Freddie in the process and losing his soul in his fierce quest for power. 30 years later, the older and successful, yet lonely Gangster 55 (an excellent portrayal by Malcom McDowell) awaits the release of Freddie from prison. Director Paul McGuigan, working from a bold and sharp script by Johnny Ferguson, handles the dark and gritty material with tremendous bravura style, relates the arresting story at a snappy pace, laces the whole thing with plenty of wickedly funny black humor, and punctuates the gritty narrative with several jolting outbursts of raw, savage violence. Kudos are also in order for the uniformly fine acting from a first-rate cast: Bettany is genuinely riveting and terrifying as the severely driven and psychotic main character, Thewlis likewise impresses as one smooth operator, McDowell makes the most out of one of his best more recent roles, the ravishing Saffron Burrows exudes pure class as Freddie's brassy singer moll Karen, plus there are nice supporting contributions by Kenneth Cranham as the wise Tommy, Jamie Foreman as hot-headed rival hoodlum Lennie Taylor, Eddie Marsan as sniveling toad Eddie Miller, Andrew Lincoln as vicious hit-man Maxie King, and Doug Allen as the brutish Mad John. This film boasts several memorable set pieces as well: our young gangster questioning a whimpering Eddie about Lennie Taylor, the ferocious murder of Lennie Taylor, and the older gangster's searing big climactic confrontation with Freddie. Peter Sova's dazzling cinematography, the flavorsome evocation of the groovy swinging 60's, the often amazing profane dialogue, John Dankworth's supremely jazzy'n'moody score, the stark, harsh tone, the fantastic golden oldies soundtrack, and a potent central message about the bitter spiritual coast of blind ambition all further add to the sterling quality of this bang-up corker of a crime thriller.