Face

Face in my opinion is one of the best British films since the Long Good Friday. Why it wasn't a box-office hit is hard to believe; possibly the film's title needs changing. "Face" is not very catchy or memorable. With a new name and little bit more hype this film will rocket.

Carlyle at his best, great script and a fantastic cast. I would strongly recommend anyone who has not seen this film as yet to get it immediately. British cinema is finally starting to move away from romantic comedies and period pieces, and showing that they can make excellent films on small budgets. Another must see, is Lock, Stock and two Smoking Barrels.

Believe it or not, Britain did make decent gangster films prior to Guy Ritchie's arrival with 'Lock Stock' style of film-making. And, one of those that has and probably always will be eclipsed by Ritchie's way of film-making will be 'Face.' And that's slightly surprising as it has two – reasonably – big names in British cinema in the lead roles – Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone.

Perhaps one of its 'flaws' (and I put that word in quotes because, personally, I don't consider it a flaw) is the way it's directed. It's hardly an exercise in style. Ritchie's 'Lock Stock' films were that rare breed that seamlessly blended style AND substance. Well, Face does have the substance to be a great film, it just doesn't have the style.

It feels a bit like a 'made-for-TV' movie (perhaps because it was made by the BBC?) with its *slightly* bland style of direction. There's no snappy montages or cracking tunes to heighten the mood and atmosphere. This is probably why it never really appealed to the masses.

It's about a bank robbery gone wrong (yes, I know that brief summary also sums up Reservoir Dogs, but, trust me, it's nothing like that). The criminals get away with the loot, but someone wants it all and are prepared to use – lethal – force to get it.

Okay, so it doesn't have the style of Lock Stock or the instant cool of a Tarrantino movie, but it is a good little number in its own right. If you're into your gangster films and aren't looking for something 'uber-cool' then you could do worse than watch this one.

You'll probably find it on TV late at night, or as part of a TV/Movie streaming service. If so, it's definitely worth a watch.

http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/

This excellent movie was an undeserved flop on release. It's hard to understand why, since it has quite a broad appeal, with a likeable cast, some terrific action sequences and a plot which twists and turns until the final reel. It's also, like The Long Good Friday, a movie with serious political undertones. Rent it, see it, make some noise about it, so that this film isn't forgotten, because I look forward to the day it gets the attention it deserves.

This is one of those unusual films where the actors all did their parts quite well and convincingly, however, the film itself seemed to be lacking something. I am sorry to say that part of the issue is with the editing.

I don't mind edits that tend to jump between past and present, but there just wasn't enough to demonstrate why Ray the alleged former socilist had turned to a life of crime. Therefore the jump-cut references fail to make the connection between his memory of a fateful protest in his youth and the man he was today.

The acting was brilliant, and each artist did a superb job, which is why I give it a 7. You could see that perhaps the writer had intended a more meaningful story, but some of it must have ended up on the cutting room floor.