18 years ago I think I thought of it as another flashy, profane, British gangster movie with an astonishing performance by Ben Kingsley.
Now I think it's one of the best flashy, profane, creative and well written, British or not, heist movies made.
With an astonishing performance by Ben Kingsley.
Everybody's good. Behind and in front of the camera
What really surprised me was how good it is now, how well made it is that it could have been released this week and there'd be nothing to complain about.
392 Reviews
For Best Portrayal of a Rabid Dog...
Rogue-3219 April 2003
..the Winner is...Ben Kingsley in Sexy Beast, hands down (and panting on all fours). Ben also wins the award for Best (and most frequent and creative) Usage of the "c" word, which plays a major part in this outrageously deranged and always thoroughly entertaining (even at its bloodiest) full-frontal bombast of a film.
The plot couldn't be any simpler: retired gangster Gal (yes, that's his name) is happy lounging around the pool at his Spanish villa with the woman of his dreams and a drink in his hand. But the big bad brutal bulldog Don (Kingsley) has been sent to convince him to do One Last Job. Gal says no. Donnie doesn't like this answer. Violence ensues.
To say any more would be a disservice; this movie has to be experienced, not explained. Suffice to say, the brilliant performances (Ray Winstone and Ian McShane in particular) and the amazingly slick editing make every second of Sexy Beast a kinetic foray into surrealism and a tour de force of epic proportions for Kingsley. So why are you still bloody sitting there, you steaming c***?!!! Go rent it now.
The plot couldn't be any simpler: retired gangster Gal (yes, that's his name) is happy lounging around the pool at his Spanish villa with the woman of his dreams and a drink in his hand. But the big bad brutal bulldog Don (Kingsley) has been sent to convince him to do One Last Job. Gal says no. Donnie doesn't like this answer. Violence ensues.
To say any more would be a disservice; this movie has to be experienced, not explained. Suffice to say, the brilliant performances (Ray Winstone and Ian McShane in particular) and the amazingly slick editing make every second of Sexy Beast a kinetic foray into surrealism and a tour de force of epic proportions for Kingsley. So why are you still bloody sitting there, you steaming c***?!!! Go rent it now.
When "No" Is Not An Option
seymourblack-12 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Action, black comedy and violence all figure prominently in this tense crime drama that illustrates brilliantly how a combination of stylish presentation, good pacing and interesting characters can elevate a hackneyed plot into something special. Its story about an ex-criminal getting involved in "one last job" is told with great economy, quirkiness and realism and the dialogue (although heavily laden with profanities) is sharp, punchy and witty throughout.
After a criminal career that ended with a prison sentence, ex-safe-cracker Gal Dove (Ray Winstone) has retired to a comfortable lifestyle in Spain's Costa del Sol where he enjoys living with his ex-porn star wife Deedee (Amanda Redman) and sunning himself by his villa's swimming pool. One day, his tranquillity is interrupted when a boulder unexpectedly tumbles down the steep hill just behind where he'd been sun bathing and after missing him by the narrowest of margins, comes to rest at the bottom of his pool. This scary incident turns out to be something of an omen, as shortly after, one of his old criminal associates arrives from London to try to persuade him to take part in a planned bank heist.
The idyllic existence that Gal, Deedee and their best friends Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and Jackie (Julianne White) had shared up until that point ends abruptly with the arrival of Don Logan (Ben Kingsley). They're all terrified of this unhinged sociopath who they know, from previous experience, has an explosive temper and is capable of extreme violence. Gal doesn't want to get involved in any form of criminal activity again, especially as he'd promised Deedee that he wouldn't. She's the love of his life and he's desperate not to break his promise to her but also fully realises the threat that he's under if he doesn't do what Logan wants. The exchanges that take place when they all meet are characterised by extreme fear on the parts of the four local residents and a whole welter of diabolical threats made by the foul-mouthed Logan.
A little while after the meeting at the villa, Gal arrives in London where he meets crime boss Teddy Bass (Ian McShane). He's the mastermind behind the plan to break into a safe-deposit vault from the Turkish bath establishment next door and as Logan works for him, he questions Gal about his recruiter's whereabouts. Gal tells him that the two men travelled back to London separately and claims that they'd spoken to each other by phone after Logan's arrival at Heathrow. Bass looks more than a little sceptical about this information but nevertheless, the heist goes ahead as planned and after it's completed successfully, Gal's anxiety remains at an almost unbearably high level until he gets back home with the intention of making a quick return to the life of leisure that he loves so much.
"Sexy Beast" provides a very authentic-looking picture of the London gangster fraternity and conveys just how threatening people like Logan and Bass are. Ben Kingsley makes a huge impact as Logan whose raging and determination not to take "no" for an answer, is incredibly unrelenting and makes any attempt at negotiation or reasoning totally impossible. Teddy Bass is more cultivated, soft-spoken and suave but also carries an enormous threat as is clearly shown in some of the action that follows the heist. Ian McShane makes his character's viciousness absolutely convincing and Ray Winstone, in a wonderfully sensitive performance, does a great job of making his flabby, gone-to-seed, ex-con into a really sympathetic character who's impossible to dislike. The quality of the supporting performances is also consistently top class.
Amusingly, the boulder incident that came so close to killing Gal at the beginning of the story also provides him with an important solution to his life-threatening problem by the end of the story.
After a criminal career that ended with a prison sentence, ex-safe-cracker Gal Dove (Ray Winstone) has retired to a comfortable lifestyle in Spain's Costa del Sol where he enjoys living with his ex-porn star wife Deedee (Amanda Redman) and sunning himself by his villa's swimming pool. One day, his tranquillity is interrupted when a boulder unexpectedly tumbles down the steep hill just behind where he'd been sun bathing and after missing him by the narrowest of margins, comes to rest at the bottom of his pool. This scary incident turns out to be something of an omen, as shortly after, one of his old criminal associates arrives from London to try to persuade him to take part in a planned bank heist.
The idyllic existence that Gal, Deedee and their best friends Aitch (Cavan Kendall) and Jackie (Julianne White) had shared up until that point ends abruptly with the arrival of Don Logan (Ben Kingsley). They're all terrified of this unhinged sociopath who they know, from previous experience, has an explosive temper and is capable of extreme violence. Gal doesn't want to get involved in any form of criminal activity again, especially as he'd promised Deedee that he wouldn't. She's the love of his life and he's desperate not to break his promise to her but also fully realises the threat that he's under if he doesn't do what Logan wants. The exchanges that take place when they all meet are characterised by extreme fear on the parts of the four local residents and a whole welter of diabolical threats made by the foul-mouthed Logan.
A little while after the meeting at the villa, Gal arrives in London where he meets crime boss Teddy Bass (Ian McShane). He's the mastermind behind the plan to break into a safe-deposit vault from the Turkish bath establishment next door and as Logan works for him, he questions Gal about his recruiter's whereabouts. Gal tells him that the two men travelled back to London separately and claims that they'd spoken to each other by phone after Logan's arrival at Heathrow. Bass looks more than a little sceptical about this information but nevertheless, the heist goes ahead as planned and after it's completed successfully, Gal's anxiety remains at an almost unbearably high level until he gets back home with the intention of making a quick return to the life of leisure that he loves so much.
"Sexy Beast" provides a very authentic-looking picture of the London gangster fraternity and conveys just how threatening people like Logan and Bass are. Ben Kingsley makes a huge impact as Logan whose raging and determination not to take "no" for an answer, is incredibly unrelenting and makes any attempt at negotiation or reasoning totally impossible. Teddy Bass is more cultivated, soft-spoken and suave but also carries an enormous threat as is clearly shown in some of the action that follows the heist. Ian McShane makes his character's viciousness absolutely convincing and Ray Winstone, in a wonderfully sensitive performance, does a great job of making his flabby, gone-to-seed, ex-con into a really sympathetic character who's impossible to dislike. The quality of the supporting performances is also consistently top class.
Amusingly, the boulder incident that came so close to killing Gal at the beginning of the story also provides him with an important solution to his life-threatening problem by the end of the story.
strong performances, interesting drama
Buddy-5126 July 2002
In `Sexy Beast,' Ben Kingsley delivers a bone-chilling performance as the man everyone loves to hate, a role for which he earned not only universal critical acclaim but a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination as well. Don Logan is so evil that even his fellow mobster buddies fear and hate him. From our very first glimpse of him high-strutting his way through an airport terminal, Kingsley hits just the right note for his character. Cleverly, writers Louis Mellis and David Scinto have paved the way for this entrance by introducing Logan ahead of time in a series of conversations in which just the mere mention of his name sets off portentous reverberations amongst the people discussing him.
Chief among those people is the film's protagonist, Gal, Logan's `retired' ex-partner in crime, who wants nothing more than to be allowed to enjoy life undisturbed in his seaside Spanish villa with his swimming pool and the wife he loves so dearly. But Gal soon discovers that a person cannot escape his past forever, when Logan suddenly shows up at his doorstep demanding that Gal join his own personally hand-picked gang of seasoned criminals whom Logan has brought together to pull off a major heist back in Merry Olde England. Gal would like nothing better than to send Logan home packing empty handed, but he also knows that defying Logan can be the fastest route to an early demise. It is this atmosphere of fear and dread that director Jonathon Glazer uses to make `Sexy Beast' such an engrossing and off beat little crime drama.
In fact it is the THREAT of violence, far more than the violence itself, which distinguishes this tale. Without the use of weapons of any kind, Logan is able to cow and terrorize a roomful of reasonably fearless adults simply by his steely-eyed demeanor and the unpredictable nature of his temperament. Seemingly controlled and rational one moment, he can suddenly erupt into a volcano of exploding anger the next. One of the most chilling moments in the film occurs aboard a departing airplane in which Logan refuses to douse his cigarette, thereby precipitating a confrontation with the flight crew. Logan has that quality that distinguishes all great villains: he throws us back on our heels by his refusal to conform to the social amenities that the rest of us simply take for granted and which put us at a decided disadvantage when faced with the evil characters of the world who know no rules and flagrantly disregard the ones we follow. He reminds us of how weak and vulnerable the rest of us really are.
Logan, for all the intensity generated by his character, is not, however, the focal point of the film. Gal, brilliantly played by Ray Winstone, who provides a fascinating counterpoint to Logan's no-holds-barred villainy, occupies that position. Despite his criminal background, Gal wins us over by his openhearted frankness, his sincere devotion to his wife, friends and neighbors, and his obvious desire to lead a straight life from hereon out. Winstone underplays his scenes superbly, yet he never allows himself to be acted off the screen by the fiery Kingsley. (One should mention that the heavy cockney accents of the characters make what they are saying a bit incomprehensible at times).
As is not uncommon in gangster movies these days, Glazer manages to inject an element of black humor into the proceedings. The comedy often takes the form of twisted surrealism, such as when a giant boulder rolls down a nearby hillside and lands plop in Gal's beloved pool, barely missing taking Gal to the bottom with it. The filmmakers also have an effective way of heightening the tension through indirection, particularly in the early scenes which prime us to dread Logan's entrance as much as the characters who don't want to see him and we haven't even met him yet. This technique of telegraphing information ahead of time contributes immensely to heightening the suspenseful quality of the film.
`Sexy Beast' provides superb performances, a nasty sense of humor and a fascinating glimpse into the dark side of human nature.
Chief among those people is the film's protagonist, Gal, Logan's `retired' ex-partner in crime, who wants nothing more than to be allowed to enjoy life undisturbed in his seaside Spanish villa with his swimming pool and the wife he loves so dearly. But Gal soon discovers that a person cannot escape his past forever, when Logan suddenly shows up at his doorstep demanding that Gal join his own personally hand-picked gang of seasoned criminals whom Logan has brought together to pull off a major heist back in Merry Olde England. Gal would like nothing better than to send Logan home packing empty handed, but he also knows that defying Logan can be the fastest route to an early demise. It is this atmosphere of fear and dread that director Jonathon Glazer uses to make `Sexy Beast' such an engrossing and off beat little crime drama.
In fact it is the THREAT of violence, far more than the violence itself, which distinguishes this tale. Without the use of weapons of any kind, Logan is able to cow and terrorize a roomful of reasonably fearless adults simply by his steely-eyed demeanor and the unpredictable nature of his temperament. Seemingly controlled and rational one moment, he can suddenly erupt into a volcano of exploding anger the next. One of the most chilling moments in the film occurs aboard a departing airplane in which Logan refuses to douse his cigarette, thereby precipitating a confrontation with the flight crew. Logan has that quality that distinguishes all great villains: he throws us back on our heels by his refusal to conform to the social amenities that the rest of us simply take for granted and which put us at a decided disadvantage when faced with the evil characters of the world who know no rules and flagrantly disregard the ones we follow. He reminds us of how weak and vulnerable the rest of us really are.
Logan, for all the intensity generated by his character, is not, however, the focal point of the film. Gal, brilliantly played by Ray Winstone, who provides a fascinating counterpoint to Logan's no-holds-barred villainy, occupies that position. Despite his criminal background, Gal wins us over by his openhearted frankness, his sincere devotion to his wife, friends and neighbors, and his obvious desire to lead a straight life from hereon out. Winstone underplays his scenes superbly, yet he never allows himself to be acted off the screen by the fiery Kingsley. (One should mention that the heavy cockney accents of the characters make what they are saying a bit incomprehensible at times).
As is not uncommon in gangster movies these days, Glazer manages to inject an element of black humor into the proceedings. The comedy often takes the form of twisted surrealism, such as when a giant boulder rolls down a nearby hillside and lands plop in Gal's beloved pool, barely missing taking Gal to the bottom with it. The filmmakers also have an effective way of heightening the tension through indirection, particularly in the early scenes which prime us to dread Logan's entrance as much as the characters who don't want to see him and we haven't even met him yet. This technique of telegraphing information ahead of time contributes immensely to heightening the suspenseful quality of the film.
`Sexy Beast' provides superb performances, a nasty sense of humor and a fascinating glimpse into the dark side of human nature.
a beguiling conglomerate of romanticism, perversity absurdity and bloody gallows humor
lasttimeisaw16 July 2017
Let's assume you are a casting director, there are two roles: one is Gal, a retired safe-cracker enjoying the life of Riley in a beatific villa in Spain with his wife and friends; and the other is his former criminal associate Don Logan, a browbeating, invective-pelting psychopath who wills to recruit him to a new job and will not take no for answer. Then you are given two candidates: Mr. Gandhi himself, Sir. Ben Kingsley and a bovver heavy Ray Winstone, the choice is rather self- evident.
However, that is not the case for UK scenester Jonathan Glazer when he begins to work on his feature film debut SEXY BEAST, who does the obverse, fingers Mr. Winstone for the hapless Gal and Mr. Kingsley for the rivetingly menacing Don Logan, a delectable volte-face rewardingly earns him an Oscar nomination, meantime, Winstone also magnificently brings about an incarnation very different from his usual image, a rough diamond type, graced by the lovey-dovey intimacy between him and his wife DeeDee Dove (Redman), an erstwhile porn star.
It is a taut iteration in the UK gangster genre, the story is nothing too sparkling, it is Glazer's swift and impressive execution takes the full credit. The harbinger arrives in its opening, a boulder falls right in into the swimming pool of Gal's villa (which betrays a sloppy CGI burnished effort), while he is sunbathing under the blistering heat, this portends an impending threat which will disrupt the placidity and imperil those who cannot get away, Don Logan is coming to visit, and he will not be in a pleasant mood if he knows that Gal determines to decline his very generous offer. So sparks fly, but not without a droll war of (swearing) words and things will inevitably get physical, Kingsley's intimidating presence deviously pays off the looming dread simply elicited by the mention of his name, and after an ironical turn of events, he does manage to press-gang Gal into partaking in the action however reluctant he is, to break into a bank vault via water pressure, The suspense isn't swelling during the action, but after, when the head of the criminals, Teddy Bass (McShane, another great villain, less showy but infallibly lethal), a character turns out to be far more ruthless than Don Logan, bluffly tells Gal that "he knows what they did in Spain" and promises he will come to visit in the due future. Well, why there isn't a sequel to this?
Parlaying his reputation as an eclectic music video director into this breakout debut, Glazer has concocted up a stunning-looking fare seeped with robust characterization, pulsating rhythm of montage, scintillating chromatic disposition and optimal pop taste, ultimately transmogrified it into a beguiling conglomerate of romanticism, perversity absurdity and bloody gallows humor like an arch cautionary tale: there is no easy way of going straight, so think twice before you get your feet wet!
However, that is not the case for UK scenester Jonathan Glazer when he begins to work on his feature film debut SEXY BEAST, who does the obverse, fingers Mr. Winstone for the hapless Gal and Mr. Kingsley for the rivetingly menacing Don Logan, a delectable volte-face rewardingly earns him an Oscar nomination, meantime, Winstone also magnificently brings about an incarnation very different from his usual image, a rough diamond type, graced by the lovey-dovey intimacy between him and his wife DeeDee Dove (Redman), an erstwhile porn star.
It is a taut iteration in the UK gangster genre, the story is nothing too sparkling, it is Glazer's swift and impressive execution takes the full credit. The harbinger arrives in its opening, a boulder falls right in into the swimming pool of Gal's villa (which betrays a sloppy CGI burnished effort), while he is sunbathing under the blistering heat, this portends an impending threat which will disrupt the placidity and imperil those who cannot get away, Don Logan is coming to visit, and he will not be in a pleasant mood if he knows that Gal determines to decline his very generous offer. So sparks fly, but not without a droll war of (swearing) words and things will inevitably get physical, Kingsley's intimidating presence deviously pays off the looming dread simply elicited by the mention of his name, and after an ironical turn of events, he does manage to press-gang Gal into partaking in the action however reluctant he is, to break into a bank vault via water pressure, The suspense isn't swelling during the action, but after, when the head of the criminals, Teddy Bass (McShane, another great villain, less showy but infallibly lethal), a character turns out to be far more ruthless than Don Logan, bluffly tells Gal that "he knows what they did in Spain" and promises he will come to visit in the due future. Well, why there isn't a sequel to this?
Parlaying his reputation as an eclectic music video director into this breakout debut, Glazer has concocted up a stunning-looking fare seeped with robust characterization, pulsating rhythm of montage, scintillating chromatic disposition and optimal pop taste, ultimately transmogrified it into a beguiling conglomerate of romanticism, perversity absurdity and bloody gallows humor like an arch cautionary tale: there is no easy way of going straight, so think twice before you get your feet wet!
Kingsley is Dynamite
gbheron20 July 2002
Ben Kingsley's portrayal of gangster Don Logan is destined to go down as one of the most memorable mobsters in filmdom; up there with the best from Robinson, Bogart, Cagney, Raft, deNiro, Pacino et al. Kingsley's all that good and more. And the other actors, in their portrayals of fellow gangsters and their lovers, are also excellent. The story is simple. Gal (Ray Winstone) is a retired English gangster living a life of leisure at his Spanish villa. Then one day his idyll is shattered by a visit from Don Logan, an old protégé, and man to be feared. Logan's intent is to lure Gal out of retirement for 'one last job'. Gal wants nothing to do with it, and the first half of the movie is a battle of wits between the two men. The second half of the film deals with the heist and its aftermath. The crime is downplayed in the movie which is primarily a psychological exploration of these gangsters; their personal demons, and the relationships amongst themselves. They are indeed scary people, no sympathetic characters here.
This is one of the best movies of 2000, and is highly recommended. I don't understand how IMDb reviewers can rate this movie so low. In my book it definitely rates an "A".
This is one of the best movies of 2000, and is highly recommended. I don't understand how IMDb reviewers can rate this movie so low. In my book it definitely rates an "A".
Big Bad Ben's Show!
meeza9 June 2002
Throughout film history, there have been so many grimacing villains that make us tremble as we watch their repugnant behaviors. The latest one is Don Logan from the film `Sexy Beast'. Ben Kingsley co-stars as Logan. His devious & energized performance make him the `king' of all villains that I have seen in film this year. Kingsley's performance was definitely oscar worthy. Logan is the scowling criminal who effortlessly tries to recruit a retired ex-thief in executing another score. Ray Winstone stars as the ex- bank robber. However, it was Kingsley who stole this show! The film does get a bit uneasy at times, and its beast representation definitely was not one of beauty. But for what it's worth `Sexy Beast' is Big Bad Ben's finest hour! *** Average
Beastly Stuff, And Utterly Fascinatng
ccthemovieman-14 November 2006
At first, I thought this was just a poor man's "Snatch," with the wild cinematography, dark humor, brutal characters and language....but not as good as that more well-known film. Well, I have really begun to like this film a lot, equally, if not more, than "Snatch."
The more I see "Sexy Beast," the more fascinating it gets, and it was pretty interesting the first time! And, at less than an hour-and-a-half it's even more watchable. It also is a good idea to play this with the English subtitles on, unless you can understand the strong British accents, and can interpret the slang words.
Ben Kingsley, as sociopath "Don Logan," is unbelievably intense and almost has my jaw dropping when watching him in here. "Intense" doesn't even begin describing this guy. Ian McShane is another creepy guy in here as "Teddy." These two guys make the lead characters, two couples, look normal. Those four are retired crooks and their wives, now living the easy life in Spain. Easy, that is, until Logan arrives and wants one of them for another job. The retiree wants to stay that way but Logan is not a man who takes "no" for an answer.
This is one movie you will not forget. Warning: it's rough, crude and strange. Expect a lot of "f" words and "c" words. Also expect an interesting 89 minutes.
The more I see "Sexy Beast," the more fascinating it gets, and it was pretty interesting the first time! And, at less than an hour-and-a-half it's even more watchable. It also is a good idea to play this with the English subtitles on, unless you can understand the strong British accents, and can interpret the slang words.
Ben Kingsley, as sociopath "Don Logan," is unbelievably intense and almost has my jaw dropping when watching him in here. "Intense" doesn't even begin describing this guy. Ian McShane is another creepy guy in here as "Teddy." These two guys make the lead characters, two couples, look normal. Those four are retired crooks and their wives, now living the easy life in Spain. Easy, that is, until Logan arrives and wants one of them for another job. The retiree wants to stay that way but Logan is not a man who takes "no" for an answer.
This is one movie you will not forget. Warning: it's rough, crude and strange. Expect a lot of "f" words and "c" words. Also expect an interesting 89 minutes.
A Metaphysical Heist Movie Like No Other
inkwarp5 October 2014
After a few days puzzling and mulling over the wonderful Under The Skin I though a revisit was required to Glazer's wonderful feature debut. It exceeded my expectations and , like all great movies gave up a whole slew of nuance and forgotten or overlooked details. And an unexpected icing on this particularly eclectic cake, i was very moved. It seems de-riguer to label Logan as the devil incarnate, bit in some senses winstone is the devil who wins out in the end more cunning (in a parochial way) than any of the many devils on display, even ian macshane's terrifying mob boss. as with under the skin, the narrative such as it is is merely a framework to quilt some amazing set-pieces ( and some jarring interruptions of utter mundainity such as winstone's gal waiting on a rain-soaked and colourless bus stop which could be anywhere in the antipodes to winstone's 'baking hot' Spanish villa. there is much here as well to place glazer into the same vaunted pantheon of film makers like Kubrick. these films do not take 10 years to make because of perfectionism unless perfectionism is knowing when the time is right to say a film is finished. After all kubrick's life-long deep passion for making AI and most notably the forever unmade Napoleon, are so distinct by being unmade they are more prefect to that which has been committed and reified using awkward clay. it seems i have been floated onto some netherworld between pretension and deep impacting emotional truth. such is the marker of a great work of art. Glazer i feel has not made at least two. i have yet to see birth but i have a feeling i might have to before the day os out. bravo. go see this and then watch Under the Skin in a few days..
One of the scariest bad guys ever, and he's British!!!
jbedford13 March 2002
A fantastic British gangster movie that goes for authenticity over 'Mockney' laughs. Continuing where 'Performance' left off (it even features James Fox) this movie has stand-out performances from all of it's cast, with Ben Kingsley (as Don Logan) producing the scariest bad-guy in cinema since Dennis Hopper's 'Frank'. Ray Winstone & Amanda Redmond are perfectly cast, with Winstone flinching superbly from the terrifying aggression exuded by Kingsley and, to a lesser extent, McShane. Ian McShane does a lot to bury his lightweight 'Lovejoy' persona with an excellent, menacing performance that contrasts well against Winstone's thin bravado, but the honours here have to go to Kingsley who is simply stunning, turning in a masterclass performance and proving (once again) that he is a top-drawer actor with every aspect of his character (posture; accent; attitude) finally honed and utterly (appallingly) convincing.
Kingsley's scenes set the movie alight (like the stunning airport sequence, and of course the return to the villa) and it would be interesting to know just how much of the dialogue comes from the excellent script and how much (if any) was improvised. These more aggressive sections are beautifully contrasted by the 'slower' character building sections, which allow Winstone to display his charm to full affect. A superb movie, well worth repeat viewing...
Kingsley's scenes set the movie alight (like the stunning airport sequence, and of course the return to the villa) and it would be interesting to know just how much of the dialogue comes from the excellent script and how much (if any) was improvised. These more aggressive sections are beautifully contrasted by the 'slower' character building sections, which allow Winstone to display his charm to full affect. A superb movie, well worth repeat viewing...
Too Strange For My Taste
Theo Robertson30 March 2003
I first thing I noticed about SEXY BEAST was that Ray Winstone`s character is called Gal . I actually know someone called Gal in real life , she`s an Israeli so I wondered why the anti hero in this film has an Israeli girls name when he`s a bloke from London ! I was futher confused why SEXY BEAST has several surreal sequences like a demon tooled up with an uzi approaching Gal`s dinner table . No doubt more pretentious reviewers will discuss the meaning behind these scenes but that`s not really the point - the scenes are distracting and don`t add anything . But my abiding memory of SEXY BEAST is the character interaction between Gal and Don Logan , it`s like something out of THE FAST SHOW , can`t you just imagine Simon Day or Paul Whitehouse playing a retired gangster working in a hotel as a waiter ? " Tea or coffee you f***in` c*** , the continental or english breakfast you f***in` c*** , cash or cheque you f***in` c*** , I f***ed your wife you f***in` c***
It does have its good points though . Winstone is a fairly limited actor but he`s made a career out of playing rough diamond geezers something he excels at . Ben Kingsley is excellent as Logan , a role for which he received an Oscar nod , but perhaps the best performance - Certainly the most understated - is Ian McShane as Teddy Bass .
But for the most part I found SEXY BEAST ( Why`s the film called that ?) to be disappointing . Maybe I was expecting something like ESSEX BOYS or THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY with a Spanish setting , but what I got was something similar to PERFORMANCE
It does have its good points though . Winstone is a fairly limited actor but he`s made a career out of playing rough diamond geezers something he excels at . Ben Kingsley is excellent as Logan , a role for which he received an Oscar nod , but perhaps the best performance - Certainly the most understated - is Ian McShane as Teddy Bass .
But for the most part I found SEXY BEAST ( Why`s the film called that ?) to be disappointing . Maybe I was expecting something like ESSEX BOYS or THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY with a Spanish setting , but what I got was something similar to PERFORMANCE
Ben Kingsley is worth the rental price alone!
mattymatt4ever7 June 2002
To put it simply: I love this movie! I've really been looking forward to this movie, mostly because of Kingsley's acclaimed performance. And he is indeed brilliant in the role of the brash, uninhibited, shamelessly ruthless Don Logan--a role that should go down in history. I haven't seen Jim Broadbent's performance in "Iris," so I can't technically say if Kingsley deserved the Oscar over him, but I'm glad he got nominated, because it would be an abomination if he didn't. Kingsley is absolutely terrifying, not showing a bit of remorse. And it's a real joy to see the man who's famous for playing the well-known pacifist Gandhi take on a role which requires him to spout the "f" word 500 times in one whole minute. OK, I may have been exaggerating there, but believe me...there are scenes in this movie that make "Pulp Fiction" look like a G-rated Disney feature. Let's just say I've never heard the "f" word used so many times, at such a lightning-fast pace. Kingsley has some memorable moments, including one where he gets in trouble for smoking on a plane, and cops an alibi involving the male flight attendants sexually abusing him. As cruel as he is, I found myself laughing hysterically at Don. As Kingsley said himself, Don is the type of character who says the kind of things that are on most people's minds, but they're too afraid to let it out.
Though Kinglsey steals the film, Ray Winstone is the star and he's also great. I haven't seen a great many English films, so I don't remember seeing him before, but now I hope to see him in more films. And I was impressed to find out the movie was made by a first-time director. Jonathan Glazer did a terrific job, creating a gloriously frenetic pace. The running time is a succinct 85 minutes, and the film never takes a breath. It always captures you with in-your-face images. Glazer's sense of style is amazing. Not to mention the soundtrack is excellent. It's a nice irony: how this dark comedy ends to the tune of Dean Martin's "Sway."
On my first viewing, it took time for me to get accustomed to the cockney accents, but after approximately 30 minutes I was able to decipher most of the dialogue--and the film has some great, memorable dialogue! It's not like with "Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels" where I can watch it 100 times and still need subtitles. Not to mention "Sexy Beast" is a much more entertaining film.
All I can say is don't expect an intricate plot, with many twists and turns. The plot is all pretty simple: Retired gangster lounges around his beautiful house in Spain, then gets persuaded into doing one last heist. I'm sure that sounds very familiar. But the beauty is in its simplicity. And the film isn't in any way pretentious. It is what it is--and what it is is a smart, energetic, entertaining, hilarious, extremely well-acted dark comedy.
My score: 8 (out of 10)
Though Kinglsey steals the film, Ray Winstone is the star and he's also great. I haven't seen a great many English films, so I don't remember seeing him before, but now I hope to see him in more films. And I was impressed to find out the movie was made by a first-time director. Jonathan Glazer did a terrific job, creating a gloriously frenetic pace. The running time is a succinct 85 minutes, and the film never takes a breath. It always captures you with in-your-face images. Glazer's sense of style is amazing. Not to mention the soundtrack is excellent. It's a nice irony: how this dark comedy ends to the tune of Dean Martin's "Sway."
On my first viewing, it took time for me to get accustomed to the cockney accents, but after approximately 30 minutes I was able to decipher most of the dialogue--and the film has some great, memorable dialogue! It's not like with "Lock, Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels" where I can watch it 100 times and still need subtitles. Not to mention "Sexy Beast" is a much more entertaining film.
All I can say is don't expect an intricate plot, with many twists and turns. The plot is all pretty simple: Retired gangster lounges around his beautiful house in Spain, then gets persuaded into doing one last heist. I'm sure that sounds very familiar. But the beauty is in its simplicity. And the film isn't in any way pretentious. It is what it is--and what it is is a smart, energetic, entertaining, hilarious, extremely well-acted dark comedy.
My score: 8 (out of 10)
This movie deserved a better title!
f-rabit17 March 2015
This movie deserved a better title and a better promotional poster. The one they used is just awful and the title reminds of a bad class b movie with seductive hybrids or something like that. The fist 5 minutes of the film never ended...maybe they were trying to show us the "sexy beast", but the joke wasn't that great. After that, it all starts to build in a very effective and tense way. The interest grows when Kingsley shows up. Fantastic role. One of his best. All the actors did a good job and the plot was very good till the end. I enjoyed it a lot. I don't consider this one of the best gangster movies, but a good action comedy thriller. Worth to watch.
Boiler-Plate Plot held together by Kingsley
nikitalinivenko3 February 2020
Retired gangster is rudely yanked out of his idyllic life at a Spanish villa and roped back into pulling off one last heist. Yeah, the same old, same old. Ben Kingsley is the glue that holds this tissue-thin trope, I mean 'plot', together, and hell, the movie is almost worth it just for "He touched me front, me front bottom", along with that (completely random) dream sequence (I doubt that was the sort of 'Bunnyman' Echo had in mind) that still has us going WTF? 20 years later, and that ending as well. Apart from that, it's all safely familiar boiler-plate heist fare that has them flooding the bank or something, I don't remember the details, but with this sort of movie, they tend not to matter. I'll also give it a bonus point for inspiring GTA V and (possibly) the Donnie Darko rabbit.
Don't Provoke The Beast
Chrysanthepop8 June 2008
This is one fascinating dark little film. Supported by fierce cinematography, black humour, chilling characters and strong language, 'Sexy Beast' works on many levels. It can be viewed as a conversational film, a study of characters and a psychological thriller. The writing is brilliant as some of the dialogues induce both humour and chill. The screenplay is pretty tight, leaving no place for loose ends or irrelevant subplots. Glazer's direction is wonderful as he keeps the viewer engaged throughout the entire 90 minutes and effectively infuses wicked humour and suspense. The characters are so interesting, while we hate Logan, we sympathize with his counterfeit Gal who is a retired gangster trying to live a straight life with his family and loyal friends. Logan desperately wants him to do a job but Gal bravely yet hesitantly turns it down. Logan won't give up and even he notices that everybody hates him (which is beginning to make him feel powerless). The cast deliver solid performances. Ray Winstone is amazing. He easily conveys Gal's complexity and dilemma with pathos. Ben Kingsley as the hatefully irritating and intimidating Logan is superb. Ian McShane is scary. Amanda Redman is electrifying in a smaller role. 'Sexy Beast' is one slick wicked little film. Not a movie for everyone, but worth watching for those who enjoy black humour and dark cinema.
A house of villains
Prismark1010 October 2014
Much is talked about Ben Kingsley's casting as thuggish gangster Don Logan that people forget the other actors with roots in crime or gangster films.
James Fox played ruthless Chas in Performance, Ian McShane appeared in Villain and Dirty Money and Ray Winstone has been playing villains of some sort since he was teenager such as films like Scum.
Winstone plays Gal a retired safe-cracker living out in Spain with his wife and other ex-con friends. However it seems he is being lured out of retirement by Logan which causes fear amongst the group and soon Logan turns up in Spain to personally request that Gal comes to London and he is not a person you say no to. There begins a cat and mouse game and you see that Logan is unhinged switching from being friendly to explosive with sudden surges of violence.
Winstone actually plays the nicest guy in the film, he just wants a quiet life with his wife and his pot of stolen loot. Kingsley, that nice Gandhi bloke strips him psychologically with threats, actual and implied, his wife's past as a porn star.
The film is strong on language, it does suffer a bit too much with it at times as every other word is peppered with it. There is dark humour although the film does not take the path of comedy cockney villains that some British gangster films like to do. It relies on performances, Winstone underplays enough to let Kingsley shine in his supporting role, a part which took many by surprise because he does not play those roles.
James Fox played ruthless Chas in Performance, Ian McShane appeared in Villain and Dirty Money and Ray Winstone has been playing villains of some sort since he was teenager such as films like Scum.
Winstone plays Gal a retired safe-cracker living out in Spain with his wife and other ex-con friends. However it seems he is being lured out of retirement by Logan which causes fear amongst the group and soon Logan turns up in Spain to personally request that Gal comes to London and he is not a person you say no to. There begins a cat and mouse game and you see that Logan is unhinged switching from being friendly to explosive with sudden surges of violence.
Winstone actually plays the nicest guy in the film, he just wants a quiet life with his wife and his pot of stolen loot. Kingsley, that nice Gandhi bloke strips him psychologically with threats, actual and implied, his wife's past as a porn star.
The film is strong on language, it does suffer a bit too much with it at times as every other word is peppered with it. There is dark humour although the film does not take the path of comedy cockney villains that some British gangster films like to do. It relies on performances, Winstone underplays enough to let Kingsley shine in his supporting role, a part which took many by surprise because he does not play those roles.
Unsettling
cumbrianfox-609535 February 2020
Superb character driven vehicle with excellent performances from both Kingsley and Winstone
jimbo-53-18651127 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Gal Dove (Ray Winstone) is a retired safe cracker for the criminal underworld who has moved over to Spain to 'enjoy' his retirement. Things are great for Ray, he spends his days lounging by the pool in his apartment, dining out at restaurants and generally living a care free existence. However, Gal's care free existence is tipped upside down when his friend Jackie (Julianne White) receives a call from Don Logan (Ben Kingsley) who says that he wants Gal to join him in London to help him and his cronies to pull off one last job. Logan gets on a plane and heads for Spain intent on Gal coming back with him to assist in pulling off this job. Gal refuses to do the job, but Don is not the sort of person who takes 'No' for an answer and is determined that Gal will assist with this job whether he likes it or not.
What's interesting about Sexy Beast is that it is a character driven film rather than a plot driven film. Character driven films are generally risky because typically if the characters aren't well written then the film will fail - that's not the case here. There is only about a 5 minute segment from the 90 minute running time spent on explaining the heist and it's only sporadically mentioned outside of this scene - until the end when the heist takes place. I could probably fill a 1000 word limit just writing about Kingsley's character, but due to IMDb word constraints I will try and keep my comments on his character as short as possible. On the surface, Logan is a thug, he's arrogant, he likes to let people know he's in charge. If you go deeper into his character, I see a very troubled person - it's clear to me that he's some kind of paranoid schizophrenic (the scene where he's talking to himself in the mirror and claiming that Gal has said various things about him - none of these things have ever been said and it clearly shows that he suffers from mass paranoia). He then proceeds to attack Gal based on what his 'inner' voice is telling him. Likewise, the scene when he's on board the aircraft and he refuses to put his cigarette out - this can be looked at in two ways; 1) He intended to fly back to London, but doesn't like being told what to do and doesn't like conforming to rules and therefore refused to co-operate or 2) He became a nuisance because he deliberately wanted to get kicked off the plane because he needed to complete his task of getting Gal back to London. His reasons are wide open to interpretation and the fact that we're never quite sure what he's thinking or what he's going to do ultimately made him a fascinating character. He's clearly not insane though as the scene immediately after his departure from the aircraft clearly demonstrates -the way he managed to turn the scenario around to make the airport staff believe that he was the victim was not only cold and calculating, but he also made his sob story believable. This shows that Logan is also capable of pathological lying as well as paranoid schizophrenia. What a character!
Then we come to Gal; people tend to remember Kingsley's performance in this film (with good reason), but people really shouldn't discount Winstone's performance. His best scenes are the scenes when he is with Logan - Winstone gives a really convincing performance (particularly in scenes where Logan is intimidating him - I felt scared for him and that's a testament to Winstone's acting ability which I think is much better than many people give him credit for).
The direction and editing were superb as well; lots of quick editing and stylish camera work that linked scenes together nicely. It was all really clever so full marks go to Glazer for his terrific work. The music was also great; it was retro and cool and fitted in nicely with the tone of the film.
Ironically, the weakest part of the film is the heist itself which if I'm honest was a bit dull and derivative, but it didn't bother me because I was so fascinated by the array of interesting characters that I still enjoyed the film even though the plot seemed to take a back seat in the film.
Sexy Beast is a great little film which is bound to impress those that love character driven films. It's a rare example of a film that is great despite the fact that the plot takes a back seat to such an extent that it almost becomes insignificant. It sounds bizarre saying this, but if you've watched the film you'll understand what I mean.
What's interesting about Sexy Beast is that it is a character driven film rather than a plot driven film. Character driven films are generally risky because typically if the characters aren't well written then the film will fail - that's not the case here. There is only about a 5 minute segment from the 90 minute running time spent on explaining the heist and it's only sporadically mentioned outside of this scene - until the end when the heist takes place. I could probably fill a 1000 word limit just writing about Kingsley's character, but due to IMDb word constraints I will try and keep my comments on his character as short as possible. On the surface, Logan is a thug, he's arrogant, he likes to let people know he's in charge. If you go deeper into his character, I see a very troubled person - it's clear to me that he's some kind of paranoid schizophrenic (the scene where he's talking to himself in the mirror and claiming that Gal has said various things about him - none of these things have ever been said and it clearly shows that he suffers from mass paranoia). He then proceeds to attack Gal based on what his 'inner' voice is telling him. Likewise, the scene when he's on board the aircraft and he refuses to put his cigarette out - this can be looked at in two ways; 1) He intended to fly back to London, but doesn't like being told what to do and doesn't like conforming to rules and therefore refused to co-operate or 2) He became a nuisance because he deliberately wanted to get kicked off the plane because he needed to complete his task of getting Gal back to London. His reasons are wide open to interpretation and the fact that we're never quite sure what he's thinking or what he's going to do ultimately made him a fascinating character. He's clearly not insane though as the scene immediately after his departure from the aircraft clearly demonstrates -the way he managed to turn the scenario around to make the airport staff believe that he was the victim was not only cold and calculating, but he also made his sob story believable. This shows that Logan is also capable of pathological lying as well as paranoid schizophrenia. What a character!
Then we come to Gal; people tend to remember Kingsley's performance in this film (with good reason), but people really shouldn't discount Winstone's performance. His best scenes are the scenes when he is with Logan - Winstone gives a really convincing performance (particularly in scenes where Logan is intimidating him - I felt scared for him and that's a testament to Winstone's acting ability which I think is much better than many people give him credit for).
The direction and editing were superb as well; lots of quick editing and stylish camera work that linked scenes together nicely. It was all really clever so full marks go to Glazer for his terrific work. The music was also great; it was retro and cool and fitted in nicely with the tone of the film.
Ironically, the weakest part of the film is the heist itself which if I'm honest was a bit dull and derivative, but it didn't bother me because I was so fascinated by the array of interesting characters that I still enjoyed the film even though the plot seemed to take a back seat in the film.
Sexy Beast is a great little film which is bound to impress those that love character driven films. It's a rare example of a film that is great despite the fact that the plot takes a back seat to such an extent that it almost becomes insignificant. It sounds bizarre saying this, but if you've watched the film you'll understand what I mean.
115 f**ks and 21 c**ts, plus everything else that was cut from Gandhi
tedbennett_8812 November 2013
This is a spectacular piece of British cinema only made better by the lack of Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis.
Ben Kingsley portrayal of a nasty bastard is amazing his delivery is to the point and scary, His character has a slight smile and staring eyes that drill into you and talking himself into a frenzy makes him even more horrible to cope with.
What is shown in this film is very quick editing combined with sound continuity so the cuts are invisible and unintrusive, strong use of colour, using a low key to make even the sun of Spain seem dark and a style unseen before, the lack of cliché ridden cockney slang makes this film even more credible.
When the film first starts we get a dream like underwater shot which you are not expecting, a metaphor for 'living the dream' possibly, but throughout the film the increasing amount of surrealism adds another layer to this almost perfect British gangster film.
Ben Kingsley portrayal of a nasty bastard is amazing his delivery is to the point and scary, His character has a slight smile and staring eyes that drill into you and talking himself into a frenzy makes him even more horrible to cope with.
What is shown in this film is very quick editing combined with sound continuity so the cuts are invisible and unintrusive, strong use of colour, using a low key to make even the sun of Spain seem dark and a style unseen before, the lack of cliché ridden cockney slang makes this film even more credible.
When the film first starts we get a dream like underwater shot which you are not expecting, a metaphor for 'living the dream' possibly, but throughout the film the increasing amount of surrealism adds another layer to this almost perfect British gangster film.
Tense, Taut
nitro7224 January 2019
Even though I found the heist portion of the plot in this tense, taut crime drama to be a little far-fetched, the hyper-stylized direction & editing kept me engaged; plus, it's next to impossible to keep your eyes off of Ben Kingsley.
Top ten. For acting script the lot. Oh and the rabbit Devil.
shaun750-130 September 2006
I saw this film yonks ago but only half way through and never really thought much of it. I just got a copy and it's got to be one of the best films i've ever seen. The casting was brilliant. Ian McShane is a fantastic actor,but ben Kingsley was superb. There's a scene when he's in the kitchen with ray winstone when he says we know why the real reason he came and his expression changes. I played it a few times to watch it,it was fantastic,the only other person i've seen do that is jack nicholson in as good as it gets. I'd say it's got to be down to the directing. As i've seen ben kingsley in other movies and not though he was as good,and Ray Winston was not his usual character all the way through. It was the dogs!!! that was!! Oh yeah the Devil Rabbit!!!! I just looked up what was made first Donnie Darcko or this and it was this!!By 1 year?? Maybe in a book before? I saw DD before and it was definitely copied. Unless it was copied from another movie????
Kingsley's performance makes this worth watching
jordondave-2808516 March 2023
(2000) Sexy Beast
PSYCHOLOGICAL DRAMA/ THRILLER
An odd bank heist film in 'reverse' in which Gary 'Gal' Dove, played by Ray Winstone enjoying his retirement only to be forced to go back doing another heist job. His bosses attempt to convince him by sending Don Logan played brilliantly by Ben Kingsley for the purpose of harass, provoke the living crap out of Gary. And sometimes by being extremely annoying, is this called obsession or is this a job! One would find out by watching this! This film kept me fascinated in terms of character study and the lengths of how far one can be pushed in terms of it's boiling point to the kind of extent of 'having no choice at all'.
An odd bank heist film in 'reverse' in which Gary 'Gal' Dove, played by Ray Winstone enjoying his retirement only to be forced to go back doing another heist job. His bosses attempt to convince him by sending Don Logan played brilliantly by Ben Kingsley for the purpose of harass, provoke the living crap out of Gary. And sometimes by being extremely annoying, is this called obsession or is this a job! One would find out by watching this! This film kept me fascinated in terms of character study and the lengths of how far one can be pushed in terms of it's boiling point to the kind of extent of 'having no choice at all'.
Fan-dabby-dozy-tastic.
BA_Harrison15 December 2012
Don't do the same as me and mistake this for just another Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels: although the film features exaggerated Cockney characters, sharp dialogue, snappy direction, and the occasional brutal outburst of violence, its unique pace, offbeat style and surreal asides (that rabbit demon is bloody freaky!) make it a far sexier beast than anything Guy Ritchie has to offer.
Surprisingly, for much of its running time, the film is an intense character study, one that relies on talk over action; well over half the film passes without a gunshot fired or punch thrown, but it is riveting stuff nonetheless. This is largely thanks to flawless performances by its superb cast (not least from Ben Kingsley as psychopath Don Logan, who steals virtually every scene he is in with his utterly menacing manner and ripe discourse), although the film also benefits immensely from director Jonathan Glazer's bold aesthetic, his imagery as colourful as his characters' language and as striking as Deedee's eyes.
Surprisingly, for much of its running time, the film is an intense character study, one that relies on talk over action; well over half the film passes without a gunshot fired or punch thrown, but it is riveting stuff nonetheless. This is largely thanks to flawless performances by its superb cast (not least from Ben Kingsley as psychopath Don Logan, who steals virtually every scene he is in with his utterly menacing manner and ripe discourse), although the film also benefits immensely from director Jonathan Glazer's bold aesthetic, his imagery as colourful as his characters' language and as striking as Deedee's eyes.
Infuriatingly brilliant crime thriller
DesbUK14 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Released to superlative reviews in 2001, SEXY BEAST is an infuriatingly brilliant crime thriller set in Spain and London. Infuriating in that the dream sequences don't work, the underwater robbery feels rushed and the whole film probably needs an extra act.
But, on the plus side, the film is a very English mix of Nicholas Roeg-like directing, Harold Pinter-like dialogue and Guy Ritchie-like cinematography and editing.
Three scenes are an absolute standout. Firstly, a mountain top boulder tumbling and crashing into the Spanish villa swimming pool of expat cockney bank robber Gal (Ray Winstone), an event which sets in motion his reluctant return to crime. Second, a sensational Ben Kingsley as psycho Don Logan refusing to extinguish his cigarette on an air flight. And thirdly the sight of frogmen robbers cracking open the safety deposit boxes inside the London bank vault they've just flooded.
Ray Winstone has never been more low-key before or since as the mellowed hard man who just wants to live in the sun quietly with his wife (Amanda Redman) and Kingsley is extraordinary in an Oscar-nominated role as a man incapable of restraining his rage - yet he is also very funny at one and the same time.
But, on the plus side, the film is a very English mix of Nicholas Roeg-like directing, Harold Pinter-like dialogue and Guy Ritchie-like cinematography and editing.
Three scenes are an absolute standout. Firstly, a mountain top boulder tumbling and crashing into the Spanish villa swimming pool of expat cockney bank robber Gal (Ray Winstone), an event which sets in motion his reluctant return to crime. Second, a sensational Ben Kingsley as psycho Don Logan refusing to extinguish his cigarette on an air flight. And thirdly the sight of frogmen robbers cracking open the safety deposit boxes inside the London bank vault they've just flooded.
Ray Winstone has never been more low-key before or since as the mellowed hard man who just wants to live in the sun quietly with his wife (Amanda Redman) and Kingsley is extraordinary in an Oscar-nominated role as a man incapable of restraining his rage - yet he is also very funny at one and the same time.
criminy
lee_eisenberg19 February 2012
OK, I've liked Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone and Ian McShane in most of the movies in which I've seen them, but Jonathan Glazer's "Sexy Beast" is too weird. There have been so many retired-criminals-go-in-for-one-last-shot movies that they've become a blur. I will admit that "Sexy Beast" has some neat scenes -- namely the boulder -- but I didn't like it otherwise. I guess that I'd taken to Guy Ritchie's movies so much that I preferred for crime-themed movies to have a very comedic tone. You might like this movie, especially Kingsley's sociopathic thug (a totally different role from Gandhi), but I didn't find anything appealing about the movie. Could someone please explain what that thing that looked like a monster was supposed to be?
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