- Actors: Harvey Keitel, Iain Glen, John Wood, Terence Rigby, Keith Allen
- Directors: Danny Cannon
- Classification: 18
- Studio: 4front
- VHS Release Date: 8 April 2002
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000063BHQ
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 28,440 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
This little-known British film from first time director Danny Cannon is in my Top 10 favourite films and is probably my favourite UK film of all. Here's why:
First of all, Cannon's direction is incredibly slick considering this was his first feature film. It is a tragedy that his second project turned out to be the ill-fated blockbuster Judge Dredd, as after his work on this he deserved much more. However, he is now receiving recognition and respect due to his work on the TV series "CSI", so that is good news.
Secondly, the performances in The Young Americans are top notch. Keitel is on auto-pilot for most of the time, but this is a good thing as his central character - NYPD cop John Harris - is a cold straight-talking man, so no overacting was needed here. Iain Glen (Tomb Raider), Craig Kelly (Queer as Folk) and Thandie Newton (Mission Impossible 2) all provide impressive key roles as well.
Thirdly(!), David Arnold's score and the soundtrack as a whole are both remarkable. A single section of the score called "Christian's Requiem" is quite possibly one of the most powerful pieces of music of it's kind, with a full orchestra and choral backing. Bjork's chart hit "Play Dead" (co-written with Arnold) of course needs no introduction, as it was and remains a top track, totally in keeping with the ethos of the film for which it was written.
Finally, the cinematography is beautiful throughout. I cannot recall London being filmed with such professionalism in a UK film. And yes, that INCLUDES the likes of Lock Stock and Snatch. Cannon the the cinematographer deserve great credit for giving the entire production such a top-class "Michael Mann" level of beauty.
Overall then, I cannot recommend this film highly enough. All we need now is a widescreen DVD edition, although I doubt that this will happen for some time sadly. John Mounsey.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you go into seeing this movie as a typical 90's crime thriller involving hardened cops busting up drug rings set around a gritty, dark city scape, then you will be disappointed. In terms of plot and high adrenalin action this film fails to deliver the goods, providing audiences instead with a weak crime plot and laughable on screen violence.
HOWEVER, that is not the whole story! What the Young Americans gives you instead of your tried and tested thriller, is a beautiful and at times highly moving piece of cinema. The plot instead revolves around the very essence of crime, how it shapes peoples lives and how it never pays. An incredible music score by David Arnold and breath taking cinematography accumulate to give the audience a tender glimpse at how in a struggle of power it is the innocents stuck in the middle that suffers. In the case of this film, it looks at how a young man named Christian ends up being tangled in circumstances over his head and against his will, and it explores who is really to blame. Is it all the fault of the barons or are the police just as to blame for using people as nothing more than pawns for their own agendas.
As it is The Young Americans is definitely worth a watch, with its beautiful cinematography and music score and intelligent and endearing performances, especially from Harvey Keitel as Detective Harris, Viggo Mortensen as Mr Frasier and Craig Kelly as the young Christian. It is unfortunate that the film does not focus on these aspects as this is where it really comes into its own. Instead it keeps trying to be a high octane thriller, in which it ultimately fails and therefore is only half the film that it could have potentially been.
HOWEVER, that is not the whole story! What the Young Americans gives you instead of your tried and tested thriller, is a beautiful and at times highly moving piece of cinema. The plot instead revolves around the very essence of crime, how it shapes peoples lives and how it never pays. An incredible music score by David Arnold and breath taking cinematography accumulate to give the audience a tender glimpse at how in a struggle of power it is the innocents stuck in the middle that suffers. In the case of this film, it looks at how a young man named Christian ends up being tangled in circumstances over his head and against his will, and it explores who is really to blame. Is it all the fault of the barons or are the police just as to blame for using people as nothing more than pawns for their own agendas.
As it is The Young Americans is definitely worth a watch, with its beautiful cinematography and music score and intelligent and endearing performances, especially from Harvey Keitel as Detective Harris, Viggo Mortensen as Mr Frasier and Craig Kelly as the young Christian. It is unfortunate that the film does not focus on these aspects as this is where it really comes into its own. Instead it keeps trying to be a high octane thriller, in which it ultimately fails and therefore is only half the film that it could have potentially been.
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
good film harvey is great as normall as a cop sent to london watch it for the rest! lol good disk but you only get the film and scene selection!!! it is 5.1 sound though which is a bonus!!
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