Review of The Long Good Friday (1980) by Richard S — 28 Jan 2013

One of the best gangster films ever made, British or otherwise. There's not a foot put wrong in this gritty 80s classic which juxtaposes the opening of a new decade's hopes (the redevelopment of the docklands, ECC membership) with old demons (the IRA, gang brutality, corruption, manufacturing decline).

Exceptional acting by the leads all round but especially Hoskins whilst for those who watched English tv in the 80/90s you'll see cameos from people more familiar from Fawlty Towers, Eastenders, Only Fools & Horses, Casualty and the like plus Pierce Brosnan playing the opposite of 007.

Then there's the ending...