Gangster No.1 (DVD)

In recent times, gangster films have made a comeback, the most notable two being "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch". "Gangster No. 1", released in 2000, is often overshadowed by such films, but, in my opinion, is a great representative of films of the genre. The year is 1968, and Gangster (we never learn his real name) has been asked to work for Freddie Mays, known as "The Butcher of Mayfair". The job is good: he is paid well, and ...
...Freddie doesn't realise is that Gangster is enjoying his job to such an extent that he wants to BE Freddie - he wants the power, the women, the whole lifestyle. So when Lennie Taylor, the leader of a rival gang, plots to kill Freddie and claim his territory as his own, Gangster is obviously happy: he formulates his own plan which will get rid of both Lennie and Freddie, meaning that he will be Gangster No. 1. However, years later, with Lennie dead ...

emmorticia 25.11.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...drawing room, you will find Gangster No 1 a very ferocious beast indeed. This is the first full length film directed by Paul McGuigan and it's a quite extraordinary piece of work, all grimy power, sleazy pace and language which could burn off a coat of paint at 100 yards. Many will dismiss it as a shapeless and shallow recreation of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but it deserves to be remembered on its own merits. Most of the attention is ...
...which characterises much of Gangster No 1, but beneath all the brutality there's a sharp intelligence and style at play here with some quite inventive use of camera work, sound and missing bits - after all you're quite intentionally never given the name of the fearsome lead protagonist, played as Young Gangster by Paul Bettany and as the older Gangster 55 by the reliably evil Malcolm McDowell, but you're certainly given plenty of clues as to his ...

dave27 21.04.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...is yet another violent british gangster film made in the post Lock-Stock era of British film maker. It is distinguished, if that is the word, by a level of violence beyond most movies. In fairness to the film, much of the violence is hinted at rather than explicitly shown, yet this can actually feel far worse to the viewer. In one notable scene the anti-hero of the piece, played by Paul Bettany is dismembering a gangland enemy using a variety of ...
...modern day, and an un-named gangster played by Malcolm McDowell relates his rise to power in London's East End. The young gangster effectively and scarily played by Paul Bettany is, to put it mildly, a power crazed sociopath. He joins a gang lead by Freddy Mayes (played by David Thewlis). The gangster does not really respect Freddy, less so when Freddy becomes involved with a young singer called Karen. In order to gain more power for the group and ...

MrWeeble 21.04.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...ago. I was expecting another gangster flick trying to cash in on the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels but I was suprised. This film is a dark, stylish portrayal of a mans descent into madness as he sets his sights on being the top boy. The film takes place mostly in flashbacks which chart the rise of a smalltime hood who fancies himself a bit. Predictably he is keen to impress the right people and move up in his chosen profession. He ...
...of the usual cheeky, lovable gangster characters you see from Hollywood or Guy Ritchie. However the realism makes for a very tense and unpleasant film with a tangible lack of humour to alleviate the tension. The acting is a decent standard throughout and it is pleasing to see more British films being made, however do they all have to be about gangsters? Paul Bettany, whom I had not seen before, impressed as the young lead with Malcolm McDowell sleepwalking ...

setimerenptah 09.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

The modern British gangster flick, especially one starring former football hardman Vinnie Jones, has a lot to answer for. While Guy Ritchie's cockney gangster pantomime was entertaining enough, it spawned such a vast array of atrocious wannabes - Circus, Rancid Aluminium and Love, Honor and Obey, to name a few. So it is refreshing these days to come across a gangster movie that has a heart as dark as the benchmark for all British gangster movies ...
...Gangster (seen as Malcolm McDowell in the present day sequences), a brutal young upstart summoned into the underworld of dapper Freddy Mays (David Thewlis). Freddy's gang is at an uneasy stand-off with rival Lenny Taylor, but Gangster senses Freddy is going soft when he falls for nightclub singer Karen (Saffron Burrows). Besides, Gangster covets Freddy's position and power. When Freddy is shot and sent down for the murder of Taylor, Gangster grasps ...

Plissken 18.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...Directed by Paul McGuigan Gangster No. 1 is the latest in a long line of British-made-and-based gangster (natch) movies which started to come out of the woodwork, it seems, after the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. However, unlike Lock Stock, Circus and all it's brethren, Gangster No. 1 eschews the black comedy and quirky characterisation recently seen in the genre, preferring instead to remain stony faced throughout. And also unlike ...
...Club, although he's credited as Gangster 55), played by Malcolm McDowell, enjoying a boxing match with a group of his gangster mates. When the conversation gets round to the imminent release of former crime lord and McDowell's ex-boss Freddie Mays (David Thewlis), Gangster, as we'll call him, reminisces about his rise to power in the criminal underworld. At this point the film slips into flashback, and we join a younger Gangster, played with an undeniably ...

neo1138 16.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...you think you seen violent gangster films (i.e. casino, goodfellas the head in the vice scene) you've never seen anything like this. The superb Paul Bettany plays a ruthless up and coming gangster with his eye on his boss' job (his boss is the very underrated David Thewlis). Filmed as a flash back of Bettany's character as an old man, it catalogues his brutal rise to be gangster number one. The violence I referred to is epitomised in a scene where ...

doctor_gonzo 23.12.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

Gangster No.1 was released in 2000 where Lock, Stock and Two smoking Barrels and Snatch where the two highly praised best British Gangster films. With these two gangster films out Gangster had a lot to live up to, and it did just.that. The violent story of the rise and fall of an East End London gangster, starting in swinging 1968 Soho, and spanning 30 years it shows brutal murder, sticking torture coming from the eyes of the victim and also by ...
...at a deluxe London hotel, Gangster now aging sits at the top of the table, (played by Malcolm McDowell) becomes upset when hearing...is due to be released from prison. He leaves and he remembers in flashbacks how his young self (played by Paul Bettany) first joined the vicious mob. The year 1960, the swinging 60s where in London, money and woman where plentifully and gangs fought round every corner for power and the position King of underworld. ...

shakedbrandy1 18.11.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...basic plot is about a gangster called Freddy, who has an organized gang, and he takes on a youngster who finds he likes the lifestyle and want's to dethrone freddy and become number 1. The film contains extreme violence, with one major brutal murder which was filmed in such a way you didn't actually see the guy being murdered, just the guy attacking him repeatidly with different impliments, dressed only in pants and a vest, and a vast amount of blood ...

sarah14 19.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

Gangsta No1 is a brilliant gangster movie set in Bethnell Green, London in the 1970's. It captures the loyalty and deception of a small time gangster hired by one of the leading gangsters in London brilliantly. The story is starts off 25 years after the young gangster was hired and takes you through his life in london from a small nobody through to his time as a number one gangster. I will not go too much into the film as i would not want to spoil ...

connacta 29.01.2001 (28.01.2001) · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

Gangster No.1 Although this film did have enjoyable moments, on the whole I found it a pointless and stilted picture. Studying the rise, rise and swift fall of a young, utterly psychopathic, aspiring gangster, we are given brief glimpses into the glamour and risk of the "noble" profession. Malcolm McDowell was disappointing in the lead role as the aging number 55, much less impressive than his younger counterpart Paul Bettany. Bettany was a chilling ...
...the primary compeititor for The Gangster to overcome. Although it differed in its violent content and lack of convincing story matter, I felt I'd seen this plot before very recently. Indeed the tale of an asexual chameleon jealous of his idol's fame reminded me of The Talented Mr Ripley, a vastly superior film in all respects. If stomach churning violence with little moral message and huge mysoginist undertones is your thing then go and see this ...

spencer 24.06.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)

...in the life of a gangster (Malcolm McDowell) who mainly appears in the last third of the film, where his acting is excellent believable and faultless.The actor who plays his younger self (Paul Bettany) is also very good.When McDowell was recently asked how Gangster No.1 compares to 'Lock Stock' he replied "our film is more realistic"How right he was this is a film that makes 'Goodfellas' look like a childs fairytale,so where does that leave the far ...

Truman 21.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Gangster No.1 (DVD)