Brighton Rock (2010)

Brighton Rock is just all kinds of satisfaction to me. It seems that some of the critical press seem to think it's boring or something. 
I don't read reviews any more so it doesn't influence my opinions and I know we were not in the same cinema but surely we watched the same film? At the very least, you can not knock the hustle of Rowan Joffe, a debut (or as close to) director and writer. I'd say he's already a big name in modern British auteurs simply based on the focus he shows here. It's as well written as it is well directed. It's a pulpy script with a suitably stylish vision. I don't quite know how he convinced Studio Canal/Optimum to let him this make a big broad likely-expensive-cos-it's-period gangster movie but i'm so glad he did. It concerting to think British film has another 'steady-hand' so early in his career. So what if he's moved the story from Graham Green's original setting of the 40's to the mods'n'rocker riots of the 60's- it works. Green's novel was about Britain getting back to business as usual, after the war. Joffe's 1960's is are a world where colour is just beginning to turn up. Brighton Rock isn't black and white anymore... It's kinda navy- moody and dark.
Which brings me to Pinky Brown, the epitome of moody and dark. God Sam Riley is good. Richard Attenbourgh's Pinky was pure malevolence. Now Pinky is far more human; for all his badman stink-eye snarling, we know he's a chancer and a coward too.
But it's not just the Sam Riley show- Joffe's rounded out the cast with first string team. I've seen Andrea Riseborough in a few things before, playing very big characters and considering that she's amazing as Rose here. The character of Rose is as her name suggests- she is character that's developing from wallflower to a woman in bloom (hey, if Graham Green can write character names with CapsLock subtext, I can write clumsy delineations too!) Just great acting from them both as a couple who for their own reasons feel like they almost don't deserve affection and are surprised that anyone could find love for them- the raison d'etre of being in love.
Helen Mirren generally does her wounded-yet-strong older woman thing and it's great as per usual but I'm more excited about great British actors like Phil Davis, Andy Serkis and others getting to do this sorta thing- British period gangster movies don't come along very often-more's the shame.
And Craig Parkinson too. He's not a 'name' actor yet but he's been in the best British films of the last few years- Tony Wilson in Control, Omar's white friend in Four Lions. Currently the social worker on Misfits too. I'm not saying he's the best thing in whatever he's in but he's a good luck charm. I think this is going to be the best worthwhile watch at your cinema until True Grit. I'm just so surprised at the British critics perception of this Brighton Rock. I suppose they have a chip-on-their-shoulder about the great-and-Crazy-Cody-won't-say otherwise Boulting Bros. classic but like a parent remarrying; not allowing themselves to like it but it's unfair to grade it on a curve like that. It's a great example of adaptation- it's not scene-for-scene or page-for-page- it just uses the book and previous film as the jump off. I 'm not sweating the differences- Rowan Joffe certainly isn't...


I watched Brighton Rock (2010) at the cinema.
My 2011 in Movies will return with The Beat My Heart Skipped (2005)...