Review of Gangster No. 1 (2000) by A. M. Esmonde . — 31 Jan 2011

I Love British Crime Films. They bring a different vibe other than american gangster films. For Example, While most Gangster films are shot in a way they make it into a documentary style, while UK Crime films go all out in style, and this film is full of style.

The Film focus the nameless Protangist(Malcolm Mcdowell)Let's call him "Gangster" who's reached his point in life as he is one of the top gangsters in london and having the time of his life in his old age, when suddenly he recives news that his old boss Freddie Mays(David Thewlis) is being release from jail after 30 Years. "Gangster" gets bothered by the annoucement and goes tells him rise to the top of the underground world.

The films flashbacks to 1968, Young Gangster(Paul Bettany) is introduce to Freddie Mays. Mays sees potential in the young gangster and invites him in his gang. After a While Young Gangster starts to gain an obsession with Freddie as he wants to take his place as head boss. When he finds out that rival gangster Lenny Taylor(Jamie Foreman) is planning an assassination attempt on Freddie, he takes advantage of it and watches the whole thing happend from far away.

Out of loyalty, The Young Gangster goes to Lenny Taylor suite and kills him in one of the most stylish, Violent deaths in film history. The Young Gangster also finds out that Freddie not only survived but gets the finger for the murder of Lenny Taylor and is sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The Young Gangster takes Freddie's place and becomes more successful than Freddie ever did in his glory days. Now thirty days have passed and Freddie is out. It bothers gangster so much it's unsure if he will make peace with freddie or kill him.

Overall Gangster No. 1 is a stylish crime drama with lots of Cool Camera angles and a strange cold atmosphere that you can feel tension whenever. It's somewhat dark and definintly not for the faint of heart.

Now this film is great and almost perfect but what it fails on is Depth. While The Gangster narrates the film and tells us his rags to riches story. There's no back story on the character. We never know why he became crazy or if he had a messed up childhood. It's like he was born when he joined Freddie Mays. To be Honest there's more development on Freddie Mays than there is on the protangist. But it's not a main problem as the films goes at a great pace and the style of the film helps the film to being a great film.

But honestly the best thing out of the whole movie is the Excellent Performances we get from the actors. Since Malcolm McDowell and Paul Bettany play the same characters you ask who gave the better performance? Now Mcdowell is solid as the old gangster, But Paul Bettany is the tour de force here.

Paul is given less diologue than the old gangster. But his emotionless and Disturbing Performance here is an oscar contender. He's frightening, Brutal and Riviting due to his violent nature.

David Thewlis as Freddie Mays is great here as he plays a smooth and charisma character that is probably the only likeable character in the entire film. I must also give Jamie Foreman as Lenny Taylor props as well as he's in very little scene but steals each one of them. Overall everyone here gives great performaces.

Overall, Great Crime Drama film that must be watch.