Review of A Dirty Carnival (2006) by Seth D — 01 Jan 2009

A remarkable gangster film as good as all but the very very best (Godfather, Goodfellas). It has everything I like in the genre: violence, complicated amoral protagonist, interesting but uncomplicated plot and above all else the elusive "cool".

This film has all those in spades. Incredible leading man accomplishment, terrific directing...perhaps that last star could be filled in by better photography and more original soundtrack (much of the music could have come from a Korean soap-opera).

All in all a terrific film that I'd recommend to anyone who likes raw stories of underground street life and an unromantic look at life as a professional criminal.