Face (1997) Reviews

• "Full Monty turns gangster!"

  dgrahamwatson2006-05-03

  That might sound FACEtious however, to some extent Carlyle plays a similar sort of character who is unable to hold down a regular job. (Carlyle always has a look of total anxiety, as if he just opened up a tax audit it from the Inland Revenue). He is believable as Ray a gun welding crook , not a phyco path, but a former lefty who got fed up supporting fringe left-wing causes with nothing to show for it. He decides to earn a living the old fashioned way — 'by stealing it'! Ray struggles to balance a relationship with his mother, girlfriend as well as being troubled by his conscience about what he does. He does not particularly enjoy doing what he does and often wonders if it's worth it baring in mind he has done time in prison. It has the typical big robbery near the beginning where they have just two minutes to get in and out of the security complex, the obligatory 'have a go hero' guard who gets pistol whipped and then the escape. Much to the despair of the gang although they get a reasonable amount of cash by the time they take out expenses and split it 5 ways there not a lot to show for it. Was their poultry whack worth the risk for a 15 year stretch? To make matters worse and more complicated the tables are turned when the money is actually stolen from the gang, presumably by somebody who knows the routine and the gangs movements. Everybody suspects everybody else and Ray desperately tries to hold the gang together despite finger pointing, blame as well as trying to evade the police who are on to them. The next part of the film unfolds around betrayal, double crossing, desperation, evading capture and greed. The cast is good, Ray Winston does his usual, Damien Albarn tries to look tough, the weaselly nutter played by Philip Davis is entertaining and Steve Waddington plays a heavy that loves comics and is totally dependent on Ray for guidance . It's also good to see British veteran character Peter Vaughan no stranger to playing a crook , plus longtime downtrodden Brookside housewife Sue Johnson still rallying to left wing cause as Rays weary but devoted mum. Apart from the robbery there is a couple of big shoot outs, tension, a mystery, treachery and a couple of odd twists which keep up your interest. The conclusion of the movie is probably well balanced in the end most of the unlikable characters get what's coming to them! Despite possible flaws the cast certainly hold the movie together and it's well worth a watch! (Note: the greasy Irish junkie at the beginning was played by none other Gerry Conlon former Guildford bombing suspect whose conviction was quashed a number of years ago.)

• You can lose face, but don't lose money...

  RJBurke19422007-01-08

  The story is an amalgam of others that you may have seen: a ram raid operation using a heavy truck (a la Heat [1995]), a setup that includes a rat in the ranks (as in Reservoir Dogs [1992]), a police station invasion (straight out of Terminator [1984]) – all of which combine to present a passable thriller that's well acted, and produces the requisite surprises for the unwary viewer. Try as I might, however, I can't quite accept Robert Carlyle as a vicious bank robber; Billy Connelly would have been much better, indeed perfect as the disillusioned socialist turned criminal. Ray Winstone, I think, was born to play criminals in movies; he's so good at it, you wonder who his role model is (who can forget him in Ripley's Game [2002] or Sexy Beast [2000]?). But, for this movie, the one you have to watch is Philip Davis as Julian, whose quasi-sociopathic turn does wonders for the twists and suspense throughout this movie. Quite frankly, if not for his performance, this would have been a far lesser movie. The rest of the cast is uniformly adequate. Lena Headey, as Connie, plays the part of Carlyle's woman, but remains mostly in the back ground, only achieving more importance as the gang's business continues to unravel. It was nice to see Peter Vaughn, even in a bit part, as an aging friend of Carlyle; in fact, Vaughn's presence in the story is a bit of a puzzle because he's in it for all of seven or eight minutes only, and contributes almost nothing to the plot. However, he has such a delightfully lecherous smile... There are some inventive scenes. The camera work for the ram raid is superb, with excellent editing, using many reverse angle shots – and very quickly done seamlessly, as it should be. Later, when Carlyle finds out that their stolen money is being stolen by somebody else, he discusses the problem with his girl friend; and while he does so, he stands in front of a poster for a movie from 1990, Hidden Agenda, a Ken Loach classic! Carlyle shoulda taken notice of the writing on the wall, hmmm? The showdown between all the crooks (those still alive) at a cop's house is stark, casually vicious and shattering. And the finale in the police station is deadly serious (a big body count) but also borders on the camp, particularly when Julian goes plain nuts. You have to see it to appreciate it... Sure, it is a well-done movie, and better than the usual run of cops and robbers film from the Brits. But, as I said, if it hadn't been for Julian grimly determined to get his money (much like Lee Marvin in Point Blank [1967] who just wanted his $40,000 and killed almost everybody to get it), it would have been more humdrum than humming along...

• Seen it before, but still worth the visit

  droningon2007-04-21

  The basic plot is a familiar one: a group of hoodlum misfits who form a chaotic "band of brothers" with an unspoken code of gangster ethics. After following a marginally successful heist, the plot starts dissecting the relationships, and the code starts breaking down until the eventual conclusion. There are scenes of each key members' familial relationships, which helps round out the characters, and helps sets the stage for a father/daughter dynamic what starts the unravelling. Set within this fabric of a story is the main character Ray (played by Robert Carlyle), the leader of the gang. He has become disillusioned with his liberal mother's causes, and has gone to the criminal side, only to find that he is doomed to more disillusions of the path he has chosen. Why he has such faith in the social world of this criminal world is not explained, but it eventually becomes his hubris. As his world is crumbling around him, he seeks salvation by begging his girlfriend to start a new life with him, but she is fed up with his way of life, and doesn't see that they have any future together. She essentially says no. As everything spirals down around him, Ray has one last chance: a wistful hope of a rendevouz with his girlfriend. That scene is worth experiencing without my spoiling it. There are great performances everywhere. Ray Winston shows us the core of a seasoned gang soldier, and his hopes for his daughter's happiness and well-being. Philip Davis as Julian is the "loose canon" of the group (literally), and his scenes are very powerful...you just never know what he is capable of. The sweet innocence of Stevie, and Ray's affection for him, becomes a reflection of Ray's past, and is a constant reminder of the inner struggle within Ray. This is a very violent film, and that may turn people off, but the violence is not gratuitous.

• Didn't get the attention it deserved

  No-Doze1999-06-08

  This excellent movie was an undeserved flop on release. It's hard to understand why, since it has quite a broad appeal, with a likeable cast, some terrific action sequences and a plot which twists and turns until the final reel. It's also, like The Long Good Friday, a movie with serious political undertones. Rent it, see it, make some noise about it, so that this film isn't forgotten, because I look forward to the day it gets the attention it deserves.

• Not just another Face in the crowd

  bowmanblue2014-09-10

  Believe it or not, Britain did make decent gangster films prior to Guy Ritchie's arrival with 'Lock Stock' style of film-making. And, one of those that has and probably always will be eclipsed by Ritchie's way of film-making will be 'Face.' And that's slightly surprising as it has two – reasonably – big names in British cinema in the lead roles – Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone. Perhaps one of its 'flaws' (and I put that word in quotes because, personally, I don't consider it a flaw) is the way it's directed. It's hardly an exercise in style. Ritchie's 'Lock Stock' films were that rare breed that seamlessly blended style AND substance. Well, Face does have the substance to be a great film, it just doesn't have the style. It feels a bit like a 'made-for-TV' movie (perhaps because it was made by the BBC?) with its *slightly* bland style of direction. There's no snappy montages or cracking tunes to heighten the mood and atmosphere. This is probably why it never really appealed to the masses. It's about a bank robbery gone wrong (yes, I know that brief summary also sums up Reservoir Dogs, but, trust me, it's nothing like that). The criminals get away with the loot, but someone wants it all and are prepared to use – lethal – force to get it. Okay, so it doesn't have the style of Lock Stock or the instant cool of a Tarrantino movie, but it is a good little number in its own right. If you're into your gangster films and aren't looking for something 'uber-cool' then you could do worse than watch this one. You'll probably find it on TV late at night, or as part of a TV/Movie streaming service. If so, it's definitely worth a watch. http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/