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Set in my home town (London) this film shows a side of life that a genteel Londoner like me barely sees. The up-market prostitution in the big hotels, the down-market equivalent in seedy Kings Cross and the sleazy peep shows of Soho are this film's London.
The film has some great moments - at times you feel some genuine sympathy for Bob Hoskyns' unpredictable nitwit of a character and for Cathy Tyson's stunning up-market whore who has worked her way up from the gutter variety. Some of their scenes together are truly excellent.
Michael Caine plays the stereotype villain - he can do more (Hannah and Her Sisters, A Quiet American) but has little room for manoeuvre in this film.
It is in part seminal - the Kings Cross night scenes must have influenced similar scenes in All About My Mother, the grand house kinkiness scenes must have influenced similar scenes in Eyes Wide Shut. Influencing Almodover and Kubrick takes some doing. It is in part derivative - the Brighton Pier scene, for instance, could have come straight out of Brighton Rock or The Third Man.
It's pacey, it holds your attention, it's good. It's not a great movie, but it does have great moments. Worth a look-see.
score 7/10
ian_harris 24 December 2002
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0235409/ |
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16-11-2020 01:59:09