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