Review of Layer Cake (2004) by Alexander P — 07 Mar 2013

Layer Cake was the first movie Matthew Vaughn directed, but is the last of the four movies he's helmed I've seen. It's overall success as a film means that Vaughn is four-for-four as a director and it's honestly very hard for me to order them from best to worst.

None are perfect movies, but every film to have the last name Vaughn on its director's seat has been a quality movie (his other movies are Kick-Ass, Stardust, and X-Men: First Class). Of his movies, though, Layer Cake probably has the most interesting plot.

At the very least, it has the most intricate one; it's title includes the word layer for good reason, as the plot has many layers working at the same time. That being said, it's not as intricate or as well-thought out as - say - a Christopher Nolan film (which have more layers than a coastie during a Wisconsin winter).

For instance, there seems to be no real reason to include Sienna Miller in this film, other than to prevent it from being a complete sausage fest and provide eye candy for its male audience. She has no real role in the actual plot of the film and, as such, her part of the story noticeably sticks out for its pointlessness.

Not that I'm really complaining. She sure is a looker. Speaking of looker, Daniel Craig is the lead and he does what he always does: he displays his great acting skills, throws in a little charm and humor, and makes everyone glad he was cast for the part.

Other stand-outs in the cast include Colm Meaney and George Harris (Tom Hardy is in the film, as well, but has only a little part). Overall, Layer Cake is an interesting story about drug dealers and gangsters.

It has the typical Matthew Vaughn humor mixed in, as well as some really nice scene-work and direction. The ending - for me, at least - was a bit disappointing, but the journey to it was entertaining.