Layer Cake [Blu-ray] [2004] (3 for 2 on selected Blu-ray discs *)

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• This item: Layer Cake [Blu-ray] [2004] DVD ~ Daniel Craig

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• Black Hawk Down [Blu-ray] [2001] DVD ~ Josh Hartnett

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As its title suggests, Layer Cake is a crime-thriller that cuts into several levels of its treacherous criminal underworld. The title is actually one character's definition of the drug-trade hierarchy, but it's also an apt metaphor for the separate layers of deception, death and betrayal experienced by the film's unnamed protagonist, a cocaine traffic middle-man played with smooth appeal by Daniel Craig (Casino Royale). Listed in the credits only as "XXXX," the character is trapped into doing a favour for his volatile boss, only to have tables turned by his boss's boss (Gosford Park) in a twisting plot involving a stolen shipment of Ecstasy, a missing girl, duplicitous dealers, murderous Serbian gangsters, and a variety of low-lifes with their own deadly agendas. As adapted by J.J. Connolly (from his own novel) and directed by Matthew Vaughan (who earned his genre chops as producer of Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch), Layer Cake improves upon those earlier British gangland hits with assured pacing, intelligent plotting, and an admirable emphasis on plot-moving dialogue over routine action. Sure, it's violent (that's to be expected) and not always involving, but it's smarter than most thrillers, and Vaughan's directorial debut has a confident style that's flashy without being flamboyant. This could be the start of an impressive career. --Jeff Shannon

Synopsis
As deeply cool and urbane as its unnamed hero, Layer Cake follows the precise, articulate XXXX (Daniel Craig) as he manoeuvres through what he intends to be his last business deal in modern-day London. His business...Drugs. On the cusp of turning 30, XXXX has amassed a personal fortune, deftly avoiding the violence and ugliness so many others in his trade fall prey to by following a strict personal code defined by discretion and clean detachment from the products he sells. Just as XXXX is poised to cash in and get out, Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham), the top layer of this particular underworld cake, hands down two tasks: find Eddie Temple's (Michael Gambon) drug-addicted daughter, and unload a mass of ecstasy stolen in Amsterdam by the sloppy, loud Duke (Jamie Foreman), who is exactly the type of wannabe gangster that XXXX has spent his career avoiding. Further complicating matters is Tammy (Sienna Miller), a sexy young blond who XXXX meets in a club and can't get off his mind. First-time director Michael Vaughn (producer on Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) brings a practised eye to the film, creating a slick, highly entertaining visual style which perfectly complements the twisting storyline. The London drug world comes to vibrant life in screenwriter J.J. Connolly's adaptation of his first novel, which retains its keen ear for slang and its eye for detail, giving Layer Cake a thrilling ring of authenticity. In the role of XXXX, Daniel Craig has a commanding presence, portraying a man who is so good at his job that he may never be permitted to leave it, regardless of how smart he is or how well he's planned. Like the best in the crime-thriller genre, Layer Cake is unpredictable, unsettling, and unforgettable.

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6 Reviews 5 star:  (2) 4 star:  (4) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.3 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Vaughn - The Real Talent Behind Lock Stock?, 5 Nov 2008 By  Sam "samueltyler" (Reading, Berkshire) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    The British gangster movie is rightly looked down upon. After Guy Richie's 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' there seems to be a slew of below par films set in the British underworld, not least directed by Richie himself. Amongst these films was one that rose above and with its recent BluRay release I decided to revisit 'Layer Cake' to see if it held up - and it does. XXXX is a new breed of criminal. He is not interested in power or fame, instead he plans to make his money importing drugs and get out whilst he still can. Everything seems to be going to plan until the big boss asked him for a favour. XXXX now finds himself dealing with the likes of 'The Duke' a two bit flash Harry who could get them all killed. Central to the story is a stash of one million ecstasy tablets stolen from very dangerous Eastern Europeans. Can XXXX keep it all together and get out alive and rich? 'Layer Cake' is a well acted and brilliantly presented gangster film. Matthew Vaughn was the producer of Richie's first two films and the influence is certainly here. However, Vaughn is far more intelligent in his direction and gives the film a more realistic feel than Richie does. Daniel Craig proves that he is a great leading man and the ensemble cast is also very strong. The BluRay transfer itself is a good one, but the quality is perhaps not worth paying extra for with this film. For me 'Layer Cake' is up with 'The Bank Job' as one of the best Brit gangster films of the past 10 years. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   1 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars No time for a toilet break!, 21 Mar 2008 By  Martin Burgess "martincburgess" (Bicester, Oxfordshire, UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    This film grabs you by the "doobries" and won't let you go, right from the start. Action packed with twists and turns from the begining. As suggested, sat down with remote in hand to pause for a wee break - it never happened. A sign of a good film, me thinks!! Enjoy! Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   5.0 out of 5 stars OO7 ROLE IN THE BAG AFTER THIS.., 4 Jul 2009 By  Jason Thorne (England / Oxford) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    This was a good gritty british gangster film which had it's fair share of drug dealing and violence that I think got Daniel Craig is role for the 007 Bond movies. Daniel Craig in my eyes was brillant in this and he proved he can act and has moved on from this role to much bigger things. The film it's self moved along at a nice pace from scene to scene with plenty of twists and turns that kept me interested to the very end. The blu ray transfer was very good with bright colours and good sound there were no stand out moments but it was still a very good clean sharp picture. If you like films like The Business,Football Factory or Sexy Beast you will love this. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 6 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Great film, good transfer Daniel Craig is a drug dealer about to get out of the game when he gets roped into finding a girl for his boss. Read more Published 1 month ago by K. P. Curtis 5.0 out of 5 stars Craig gets toned up up for his Bond roles.... This is the film that put Daniel Craig in the shop window. An action packed,violent,drug fuelled journey through the seedier side of life. Read more Published 2 months ago by Scott Allison 4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent brit gangster movie Not quite knowing what to expect from the film I was pleasantly surprised by both the story and the quality of acting, especially from Daniel Craig. Read more Published 15 months ago by Valleysboy Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 6 customer reviews...

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