Layer Cake [2004]

Product Details

Director : Matthew Vaughn
Actor : Daniel Craig, Kenneth Cranham, Dexter Fletcher, Jamie Foreman, Michael Gambon
Format : PAL, Widescreen
Aspect Ratio : 2.40:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 5035822690639
Product Group : DVD
Region Code : 2
Release Date : 2005-03-07
Running Time : 104minutes
Studio : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

ASIN : B0006HIPOK

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

As its title suggests, Layer Cake is a crime thriller that cuts into several levels of its treacherous criminal underworld. The title is actually one character's definition of the drug-trade hierarchy, but it's also an apt metaphor for the separate layers of deception, death, and betrayal experienced by the film's unnamed protagonist, a cocaine traffic middle-man played with smooth appeal by Daniel Craig (whom you probably don't need reminding is the latest James Bond). Listed in the credits only as "XXXX," the character is trapped into doing a favor for his volatile boss, only to have tables turned by his boss's boss (Michael Gambon) in a twisting plot involving a stolen shipment of Ecstasy, a missing girl, duplicitous dealers, murderous Serbian gangsters, and a variety of lowlifes with their own deadly agendas. As adapted by J.J. Connolly (from his own novel) and directed by Matthew Vaughan (who earned his genre chops as producer of Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch), Layer Cake improves upon those earlier British gangland hits with assured pacing, intelligent plotting, and an admirable emphasis on plot-moving dialogue over routine action. Sure, it's violent (that's to be expected) and not always involving, but it's smarter than most thrillers, and Vaughan's directorial debut has a confident style that's flashy without being flamboyant. This could be the start of an impressive career. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Hope for a lot of icing as this cake dosen't taste so good (2008-06-29)

The producers of Layer Cake tried very hard to shape this standard gangster fare into something fresh, cool and original. They failed.Matthew Vaughn who produced Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch lazily decided to produce yet another gangster flick, without Guy Ritchie, as a vehicle to move him into the mainstream as a director. Having a proven track record in the genre, it was a safe bet the film would find an audience, however I assume he couldn't produce a film with any similarity to Lock, Stock and decided to produce this rubbish instead.I also couldn't stomach the publicity overload for this film, which was plain perplexing. Nobody seemed to understood what a hot iron scorching the bonnet of a Range Rover has to do with anything let alone the film. Is the Range Rover parked in the street? Has someone ran an extension lead to plug in the iron to burn the paint work? It makes no sense. If you want payback who goes to the extent of running extension leads and using domestic appliances? Sienna Miller also stars in Layer Cake but she is so generic looking I didn't even realise it was her until I spotted her name in the credits. To top it all Daniel Craig's wooden lifeless performance is yet another reason to avoid this film. Is it just me or has the guy got a massive bulbess nose.I'm not a hater of Matthew Vaugn's films as when I was dragged to see Stardust I secretly enjoyed it. Don't tell anyone.

snore (2008-06-07)

very very boring british gangster movie that is no good and differant to countless other british gangster movies

Great show, great cast (2008-05-28)

One of Craig's better films and good to see Colm Meaney as a bad guy. Shows a side of the country that some people don't realise exists.

Its alright.. (2008-02-24)

Was looking forward to this film as i adore this genre, but i found myself slightly dissapointed, there wasnt really that much special about it, had some very poor acting (although daniel craig is pretty damn good) An obvious ending, that i guessed halfway through. It just seemed a little off key and didnt seem to grasp any of the gangster soncept (most of the actors just aint drug running or gangster material)But the story line isnt too bad and i reckon it would be good if different actors were cast.

A Fantastic Film (2008-01-05)

I was unsure about watching this film as the cover doesn't look appealing, however once it got started I was hooked from start to finish. The twist and turns in this story line continue until the very end. It was gripping. I would strongly recommend it to anyone.

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