Layer Cake

The pussy-whipped Guy Ritchie isn't exactly having a good time (his current film, Revolver, has perhaps even worse reviews in British media than his previous mega-flop starring Madonna), so another "Ritchie-flick" from a talented young filmmaker comes in handy. For a debut, this is a smartly directed, well-conceived gangster film about a drug dealer and his peripatetic quest to obtain a large shipment of ecstasy, all with the help of rival drug gangs. What separates this film from a fourth star is the fact that there is not a single scene that is indelibly etched in my memory, and that I liked the genre-similar Snatch a bit more, thanks to its more engaging story. Layer Cake simply gets old fast. Daniel Craig is okay, though, he has charisma, he can act too, but that doesn't mean I can't imagine a different type of actor in the role of James Bond. (29.10.2005)

It has seemed for some time now that Matthew Vaughn is just trying to stylishly pick out the best tricks from his friend Guy Ritchie's golden scams, so I enjoyed watching the young or unknown faces of future or current stars more than the over-complicated plot. However, the viewer gets used to the number of characters and the turbulent changes in mood, and suddenly the fast pace seemed almost flawless to me. An incredibly precise and fresh gangster film for a debut, even though it's just a precursor to the director's abilities and potential for his future films. (15.08.2019)

Another in a series of pictures about the contemporary drug underworld that are full of dirty tricks, twists and that sort of thing. Debutant Matthew Vaughn did a good job and is helped considerably by a strong screenplay. The best thing about this is that this isn’t meant to be a spoof. In fact, quite the opposite. It is serious from start to finish. And that is good, very good, because we have seen far too many variations on “cool Richie pics". (21.04.2022)

A modern gangster film with a decent cast and an interesting screenplay that includes a whole range of motifs and twists. Following the traditional British model, the film is literally overwhelmed with characters, making it difficult to keep track of them at first. It lacks the humor and exaggeration that, in my opinion, belong at the top levels, such as Guy Ritchie's early films. Overall impression: 80%. (19.11.2009)

The third star (that puts the film a bit above-par) is because it’s the début of a director that thrilled me with his other films, otherwise, Layer Cake disappointed me and I would give it five out of ten points. What to do with a film that doesn’t take itself seriously, but it’s not funny? (14.07.2011)