Jonathan Glazerreached new heights this decade with his devastating, politically urgent, masterful work onThe Zone of Interest. Those who have gone back through his short filmography have noted how varied his work is, and this is most apparent when looking at his debut film.Sexy Beast, released in 2000, is a heist movie (or an anti-heist movie, if we’re being honest) that stars Ray Winstone as a retired criminal, Gal Dove, who his former associates want to bring back on for another job.Ben KingsleyandIan McShaneappear in supporting roles in very intimidating performances as the thieves who insist on getting Gal back into the game.
Sexy Beastwas built around the push-and-pull between Kingsley’s Don Logan and Winstone’s Gal, as one is completely enveloped in the criminal life and the other wants to avoid it entirely.The Don and Gal dynamic makes the film far more character-driven than driven by action, and Glazer succeeds greatly in making a film that avoids those classic crime tropes while still being entertaining and even thrilling.This may have been Glazer’s first feature,but his career in music videos primed him to make great films, and even with only four features total under his belt, every one of them has something very special to offer.
Jonathan Glazer Wanted the Crime to Take a Backseat in ‘Sexy Beast’
What setsSexy Beastapart from the lion’s share of heist films is that it really isn’t about the heist at all. This isn’t aGuy Ritchie-esque caper or aDen of Thievestype of moviewhere the planning, execution, and getaway are the main bulk of the story.Sexy Beastis about a guy who desperately wants to avoid the heistin the first place. Gal Dove is out of the game—he loves his time at the pool, he loves his family, and he does not want to go back to a life of crime. Of course, dangerous circumstances brought on by even more dangerous people leave him without much of a choice, but the action inSexy Beasttakes a while to really boil over. That isn’t a bad thing; it’s actually why this movie remains so interesting 25 years on.The film rejects the traditional structure of a crime story, with Gal refusing to give in to the “one last job” narrative for as long as he can, and when he does finally relent, it is only because his hand was forced by the unexpected and violent confrontation with Don.
Glazer wanted the movie to focus primarily on the Gal’s opposition to Doninstead of having it shift into more of a traditional crime story.Winstone plays the reluctance and wariness incredibly well as it becomes clearer to Gal that the dangers of his former lifestyle may encroach upon his family’s safety and his freedom. The scenes shared between him and Kingsley are highlights in a film that breezes by thanks to its short runtime and tight screenplay.
‘Sexy Beast’ Rejects Many Traditional Crime Tropes
Althoughso much ofSexy Beastruns adverse to the standards of crime movie storytelling,when the film does take its detour into the heist, it is riveting. The heist comes and goes with little setup or payoff because the film is fundamentally not about the heist itself.But it is a visually thrilling and innovative sequence, involving Gal and the rest of the crew breaking through a bank vault wall from underneath a swimming pool in a spa that is adjacent to the bank. In snorkel gear, Gal drills into the side of the wall and the team eventually breaks to the other side. There are no snags, there’s no shootout, no extended planning sequence.It goes like clockwork, and Gal goes home.
The money shot of the water bursting into the bank vault is beautiful, and it feels like a result of Glazer’s strong hold on unique imagery from his work on many surreal and striking music videos. Butthe heist never feels too heightened or out of step with the rest of the movie.Sexy Beastdelivers a clever and inventive heist that doesn’t distract from the true subject, Gal’s longing to get the hell out of this situation and finally put this life behind him.
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These films are best enjoyed with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.
Sexy Beastdoesn’t do anything explosive; the heist is not as grand or intricate asOcean’s Elevenoras cinematic asHeat,but it was never trying to be. Glazer described wanting the heist to essentially bea minor bump in the road for Gal’s storybefore he returns to what he loves. The resolution of the heist and Gal’s return home underlines thatSexy Beastis really just a character study at its core,and Winstone and Glazer made it one worth watching.
Sexy Beast
With their reputation growing across London, thieves Gal and Don are recruited by renowned criminal boss Teddy Bass for a high-stakes job. But as they continue to rise in the criminal world, they find their lives changed forever.
