Review of Bugsy (1991) by Daniel S — 21 Oct 2009
"Bugsy" is a compellingly directed piece that spans only a brief period of time in the tumultuous life of gangster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. Bugsy is a complex character with a great deal of psychological trauma, and Warren Beatty really does a tremendous job channeling a great deal of that emotional instability into his performance, which is not to say that is stellar (far from it), but resonant nonetheless.
The supporting cast on the other hand, is nothing short of terrific. Harvey Keitel, Elliott Gould, Joe Mantegna, and ESPECIALLY Ben Kingsley are all superb in their parts. Annette Bening does a great job too, and nails her role as Siegel's longtime mistress, and you really get the sense that their relationship was almost as unstable as their personalities.
This film is a very deftly crafted, yet fleeting glimpse into the life of the cold-blooded killer who put Las Vegas on the map. Director Barry Levinson really managed to put some bite into what could have been a subpar biopic.
This review of Bugsy (1991) was written by Daniel S on 21 Oct 2009.
Bugsy has generally received positive reviews.
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