Dom Hemingway

I just saw the gala premier at TIFF and overall, I enjoyed the film. The acting was terrific, with Jude Law playing Dom Hemingway in the lead. The first few minutes of the movie had me wondering what I had gotten myself into, as it really starts off with a bang (or a blow, perhaps). That feeling of not quite knowing what I was watching stayed with me for a bit, as the movie is vulgar, violent, funny, and awkward, sometimes all at once. In the end, I liked I really liked it and found myself rooting for Dom despite having a bunch of reasons not to. It's worth watching for the terrific acting, and the moments between Dom and Dickie when things get tense are great.

Most people know Jude Law as a slick, English character, who in real life might be exactly the same.

But from the first, very confronting second, it's clear that he is much, much different. Without spoiling anything, you'll find him confronting, arrogant, taller, more muscular than ever before. It will shock you, surprise you but even more important: entertain you.

Law takes us to life after prison, to find out much has changed, except for him. In his head, he is still a legend and acts like one, while realizing that his life and his time in prison cost him dearly.

Be warned: the way Law acts, approaches the line between acting and over-acting, which will take a lot of your patience. But Law manages to do it tongue-in-cheek, while still displaying genuine emotions. This movies is more than just about a man after prison, picking up the pieces with some slapstick moments. It's about a man who is who he is, but also learns to change. Who doesn't care, but learns to care.

Law succeeds in finding a balance between comedy and seriousness. Between drama and satire. In this he creates a character that you can love, like, dislike, hate. But whatever it is, you WILL remember him and feel for him in the end.

Dom Hemingway is trying to add something new to the heritage of the great gangster-comedies of Guy Ritchie and Martin McDonagh, but it's trying too hard, and eventually it fails. Every scene is trying to be more bizarre and shocking than the last one, but they're rarely funny. The dialogues want to be witty and to be remembered, but actually they're just over-the-top curses and insults by the characters. Dom Hemingway (played amazingly by Jude Law) is not a hero, but also not an anti-hero: he's just a pathetic man who's getting drunk and high for the most part of the movie. They're waiting too long to add some dramatic depth to his character.

It has a couple of funny moments, but this movie is just too forced to be naturally funny. If you want to watch a film with a similar mood, but done better, I would recommend Filth for you.

Admittedly there's not much to this film outside of Jude Law's force of nature performance, he's a filthy, foul mouthed monolith of vulgarity and nastiness, and a joy to watch, it's a true revelation of a turn for the actor, breaking his posh, pretty boy image to pieces and gobbing on those pieces. Sure there's not much to the script or story, which are threadbare and under nourishing, plus Richard E Grant is somewhat wasted despite being rather wonderful, and there are many coincidental contrivances that sully the film a bit towards the end, but enjoy it for Law, for the stylish, off kilter approach to the British gangster movie genre, for the many gloriously profane monologues and the general fun depravity of the thing, plus it gets extra points for being surprisingly moving come the third act, which does not seem remotely likely given the first two thirds. A solid cult movie in the making.

Richard Shepherd's latest film is a maelstrom of bad behaviour in the best style of British crime comedies - it's impossible to not liken it to Guy Ritchie and his ilk - but this one stands out from the crowd as it features a stunning performance from Jude Law - he may have started his career with man in touch with his feminine qualities but here he is the full monty as the mockney gangster on steroids. Law cannot be accused of a lack of a commitment - he throws himself in with palpable relish - and shouts and swears his way in a remarkably winning performance. Subtle it ain't - but man it is genuinely entertainment, pure and simple.

The lasting impression is the tremendous energy of the script and Jude Law - it could really be a stage play in places - it is not often these days that movies create energy through an excellent script, rather than energy by effects - this does.

No way is this the greatest film of the year - but Jude Law's performance is full of sly humour, and Richard E Grant obviously loved being the dry sidekick - there is more than a touch of Withnail to the whole proceedings and he is superb.

Dom Hemingway avoids squeamish violence in the main and goes for the jugular in its script instead - it even has more than a touch of pathos admid the insanity. All in all, if you like films with some style, real laughs, and energy - and crude craziness - then this fits the bill better than most.