An old gangster is advised that Freddie Mays would leave jail after thirty years in prison. His mood changes and he recalls when he was a young punk and who joined Freddie's gang—a man he both envied and ultimately betrayed.
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Load of rubbish!!
Just perfect...
There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.
This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Gangster No. 1 shows a completely different style of film in terms of the Gangster sub-genre. It's more about the unfulfilled psychotic man who wants it all st every cost. A great performance from Paul Bethany and a great cast filled with British Drama actors (with an obligatory role for Jamie foreman). I'm slightly confused as to why all other characters remained the same and made up in older age, whilst Paul Bethany turns into Malcolm McDowell, perhaps that's a more symbolic gesture.
Gangster No. 1 is directed by Paul McGuigan and written by Johnny Ferguson, Louis Mellis and David Scinto. It stars David Thewlis, Paul Bettany, Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows, Kenneth Cranham, Jamie Foreman and Eddie Marsan. Music is by John Dankworth and cinematography by Peter Sova. Gangster 55 (McDowell/Bettany as the younger version) looks back on his brutal life, on how he became a gangster... The British gangster genre of film was gathering apace in 2000. Guy Ritchie's Snatch would wow critics later in the year, while Ben Kingsley's ferocious turn in Sexy Beast (David Scinto and Louis Mellis co-write on that as well) would even get an Oscar nomination, yet Gangster No. 1 is the equal of both films but still doesn't have the acclaim afforded the others - undeservedly so. Predominantly set in the late 60s, with period flavours strong, pic doesn't pull its punches, and yet it is never over gratuitous with the violence and mania (but you do feel it big time) that surrounds Gangster 55 (Bettany brilliantly feral and frightening). It's with the characterisations where McGuigan's film gets its strength, we witness greed, blood lust and the yearning of power via chilling portrayals, set to the back drop of a scuzzy London underworld where even the vermin don't dare to dwell. This is a film not wanting to be loved thematically, but the top performances across the board and pic's ability to grab you by the throat - to not let go - makes it a rip- snorting slice of evil. Essential for those interested in the British gangster film revival of the noughties. 8/10
This film is based in the 1970's a fictional gangster joins a gang and slowly begins to rise above all his fellow criminals; which is narrated by the older self. Bettany is the best thing about this film he has a creepy vibe to him, his psychopathic, almost sexually depraved Gangster.No 1.The characters are traditional cockney gangsters, in everything they do and say; the violence is brutal and violent...As the film goes on you realise Gangster No.1 is almost obsessed with Freddie and as Karen emerges Gangster almost becomes jealous....a good film with great character development..but no real story behind the film...
The Brits have always had the knack of making superb gangster films the along comes Gangster No 1 and destroys the fact. Whilst the majority of gangland stories have their fair share of colourful language and violence, this film went far beyond the boundaries of exceptable good taste. The entire film is splattered with both obscenities and blood but the script has to have been written by an illiterate with a limited vocabulary. Maybe that's what the film-makers wanted, who knows. There's nothing special within this film and as for hidden meanings, only those who think too hard might find 'a little something' that isn't there.