Sexy Beast Review

Hype:  I vaguely remember seeing Sexy Beast while walking around a local video rental store.  It didn't really peak my interest so I passed on it.  Over the years I haven't really heard anything about this film, until recently.  Last week I came upon the Top 10 Movie Psychos list on CNN.com.  It was a pretty interesting list.  Many of the characters on the list I have heard of, but the number one pick surprised me.  Number one was Ben Kingsley's character from Sexy Beast.  Since this movie contained the number one movie psycho I instantly had to see it.  Let's see if Kingsley's character truly is psychotic.

Initial Review:  I had no idea what to expect going into Sexy Beast and I think that helped make it better.  Sexy Beast stars Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone.  Ray Winstone plays Gal, an ex-con, that lives happily with his lovely wife.  His life is going great until Don, Ben Kingsley, arrives and asks if he will do another job.  Since Gal has retired, he tells Don no.  Don does not take no for an answer and this causes him to go crazy.

Having seen Ben Kingsley in House of Sand and Fog, Gandhi, and Suspect Zero, I know that he can do an outstanding job, and in Sexy Beast he does not disappoint.  There is one scene in Sexy Beast where Ben is alone in the bathroom shaving his face.  Normally this wouldn't be that exciting but Ben is having a conversation with himself.  But this ain't a normal conversation, he is actually arguing with himself.  Watching Ben during this scene you can't help but be amazed with his acting talents.

While watching Sexy Beast it was tempting to compare it to Snatch or a Tarantino film, but once everything is all said and done, Sexy Beast stands out.  It was really fun to watch and didn't feel like your typical heist movie.  The last heist movie I saw was The Bank Job and I have to say that Sexy Beast is way better than The Bank Job.  The acting in Sexy Beast is great and you can't help but be blown away by Ben Kingsley.  I also found that the heist was better than most movies, probably because it wasn't the focal point.

If you like British films and are a fan of heist movies than you will really love Sexy Beast.  It was fun to watch and kept you on your toes.  Ben Kingsley steals every scene and he alone makes this movie worth watching.  If you are struggling to find a good movie to watch, go check out Sexy Beast.  You will enjoy it.