Director: William Monahan
Stars: Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, Ray Winstone
Last night, I managed to take in a viewing of London Boulevard, a crime film set in the heart of London. That sounds original, doesn’t it? Especially when it’s the same old same old criminal, played by Colin Farrell, freed from jail and wanting to be straight guy by helping reclusive film star Keira Knightley and ends up getting his hands dirty again thanks to evil bad guys like Ray Winstone.
Nope. Not original in the bloody slightest.
But, thankfully under the directorial and written guidance of William Monahan, Oscar winning screenwriter for Infernal Affairs remake The Departed, things are wonderfully engaging, interesting, and actually entertaining.
There are other reviews out there that are not so supportive but I’m happy with what I saw. Boulevard is rough around the edges as a film but it shows Monahan’s talent as his screenplay’s dialogue never feels stilted and ridiculous. Sometimes cliché and full of cockney rhyming, but not stupid. There are moments of good directorial work as his infuses cinematic 70s style and cool, complied with a great soundtrack that I really dug.
In terms of the story, based on the book by Ken Bruen, it really is summed up by the one line muttered by Colin Farrell (at a funeral) and, with crime films, this eventual end is always the case. London Boulevard tropes, punches, swears, and corrupts over every cliché and plot device in the book. Complete with that traditional British shouting, fits of rage and violence, it’s a complete package that if it wasn’t for the cast I would have just waited for the DVD to come out.
I’ve mocked the accent on Cinematic Dramatic but Farrell’s south London ex-criminal is a decent lead. Farrell having that presence that I haven’t seen since his earlier films like Daredevil (he was the best thing in it) for example. It’s nice to see him in a good physical role like this.
Keira Knightley, the flat block of wood people have heard me call her in the past, is just as good. I actually preferred her here to Never Let Me Go because I felt there was something more to her character. She’s been damaged by the limelight she existed in and the reclusive nature is well handled in her scenes with Farrell.
Winstone does his usual “I’M THE DADDY!” stick and as an imposing bad guy, it works. The one scene that sticks out after watching LB is one where Farrell and Winstone come to verbal blows seemingly bickering at one point and then just exploding in an instant all in one take. Personally, it was a fantastic moment.
London Boulevard might not do well at the cinema since it’s coming out during Potter’s dominance. Shame really. I suspect that when it comes to DVD & Blu-ray, its audience will find it easily. Reflecting on it afterwards, it’s scattershot ending doesn’t help things here as it all goes to s**t in the last twenty minutes. But when you think about that line in the funeral scene…it just about makes sense.
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