London Boulevard

London Boulevard fails to avoid the numerous clichés surrounding a London based gangster film. At times it actually feels as if it welcomes them. An Urban crime drama meets 'notting hill', mixed with the characters of 'The Bodyguard' and a twist of 'Sunset Boulevard'. Not much of this script feels original. It is however well-characterised, moved with considerable style and boasts a cast that would make most of hollywood blush.

Colin Farrell stars as 'Mitchel', a london hardman just released from pentonville prison after three years for GBH (Grievous bodily harm), and has his mind set on going straight. However, very soon he's faced with the option of his previous life of crime, or a bodyguard/minder type of role for a reclusive and vunerable film superstar Charlotte (Keira Knightly). The two plot lines are predictably intertwined and our star has to fight for his love against the backdrop of his criminal past and his London crime boss(Ray Winstone).

William Monahan (The Departed screenplay), somehow fails to entice us, in what is his directorial debut. With the wealth of talent available and his own screenplay (to a best selling novel) this film could have been a massive commercial success or even a cult classic.
The film runs out of ideas after the first 20 minutes, and we are left with a stagnent plot, some overuse of the F word and our two lead roles that fail to emit even a single volt of sexual chemistry.
Farrell's baffled look throughout this film is probably the best reaction to sum it up, confused, far fetched and more loose ends than a plate of spaghetti.

Even from this disjointed film, there are some very catchy and well paced scenes, driven by a satisfactory cast and enveloped with a fantastic 60's classic soundtrack. Most noteably 'The Yardbirds' 'Heart full of soul', which is somewhat overused (but who's complaining really).


However, Farrell's constant mumbling of a fair cockney accent mixed with Keira Knightly's over exhasperated and plain take on an elegant and universally loved woman failed to leave us enthrawled. Seemingly all the best lines were given to David Thewlis who plays Knightley’s extravagantly subdued housekeeper. “I was on a children’s TV show, then methadone!”and also "If It wasn't for Monica Belluci she'd be the most raped woman in European cinema".
These witty one liners raised some hope, but the overall feeling is one that William Monahan lit the match that inevitably torched his own film.

Animal Kingdom

Tense is probably the best word to describe this Australian gangster film. The gripping tension is carefully balanced and rarely the story unfolds enough to put you at ease. Its captivating and beautifully shot yet hyper violent at times, with some very threatening characters that are brought to life from such a well rounded cast.

The film opens with Josh (James Frecheville), only 17, sitting beside his mother who has just died from a heroin overdose. He numbly stares at a TV as he pieces together his surroundings. His only family to turn to is his grandmother (Jacki Weaver), who lives at home with her four sons. His grandmother takes him in and we learn why his mother has shielded him from this side of the family for so long. They are a precarius bunch.

Josh is quickly flung into the middle of conflict as his Uncles, Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) and Darren (Luke Ford), who are working with their business partner Barry ‘Baz’ Brown (Joel Edgerton), are all trying to protect their unhinged and extremely dangerous brother Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) from the police. The heat is on Pope and the family are currently in hiding until the police escalate the situation themselves by killing one of the family.

Caught in a world he doesn't belong, Josh quickly has to choose between his own survival and what is right.

From start to finish this film creates and builds in intensity which is embellished by some painfully intimate cinematography and the powerfully resonant soundtrack from composer Jo Ford. Writer/director David Michod handles his material with great confidence and some extremely powerful and real performances from the cast, notably Pope (Ben Mendelsohn), who delivers an enigmatic and fearfully true performance.

Animal Kingdom breaks the mould of crime dramas. Theres no gimics, no wise guy humour. Its involving, gritty and so gut wrenching beautiful in its simple yet realistic feel, yet so powerfully executed..