In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Friday, 28 June 2019

The Long Good Friday (1980)

An unmistakably British gangster film set in London in the 1970s. It stars Bob Hoskins as Harold Shand, a city crime boss who's hoping to get a foothold in legitimate property development. To achieve his goal Harold seeks aid from the American Mafia, but, for reasons that he's not clear on, at the same time a faceless enemy is attempting to put an end to him and his entire venture.
It may be a minority opinion, seeing as how Dir. John Mackenzie's film is widely regarded as a classic of the genre, but I honestly didn't like it very much. What deserves praise regardless of personal feelings is Bob Hoskins' powerhouse performance, surely one of his best; and Francis Monkman's occasionally unusual but upfront score ought to get a mention, too.

3 big acorns out of 5

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