99 replies to this topic

[Genrewriter]

Just watched it. It's alright, not really my cup of tea when it comes to crime films. I think the ending is fairly lousy, just a cheap shock that takes a lot away from the rest of the last few minutes. Still, Craig is good.

[Streetworker]

I watched a trailer for it last night on the web and it looked really good. I'm just curious if anyone's seen it yet, if they could give their opinion on it.

I almost bought it blind.

It's very good; an intelligent Lock, Stock... etc.

I'll be quite honest. Daniel Craig wouldn't have been my choice as Bond. He wouldn't even have made my shortlist (if only because it's so left-field it wouldn't have occurred to me to consider him).

But watching his performance in Layer Cake, I can see why Eon have gone for him. In short, he looks like he has real balls... (oh, and his performance in The Mother is fantastic).

[Blue07]

It's a very un original film - it's a Guy Ritchie film by any other name. Cockney geezers strutting around like gangsters - well they haven't made films like that before have they? Some very good actors in it, and Sienna Miller put into a couple of scenes for no apparent reason. Its an OK watch but really nothing special - identical to my opinion of Craig.

[Skudor]

I just watched Layer Cake last night. I'd give it 6.5 out of ten, no more.

There's nothing engaging about the film, but it does entertain in parts. Some of the lines are way too cliche Brit-Gangster. Daniel Craig held the film together, as mentioned by many, and really gave a sense his character. I'd say rent it, dont' buy it - but as a Bond fan you really should watch it.

As a 'Bond Audition' I think I can see what the producers are after from him, and I like the idea, but there was very little Bondian about his performance (in the traditional movie sense) - except perhaps the occasional glimpse. Of course, he wasn't playing Bond (that's what happens when you hire actors who can act - they don't 'do Bond' in every movie they make). The potential is there.

[tbp82]

I actually got Layer Cake just to see what all the fuss is about. When I first saw the cover to the DVD in a movie store I actually look at the cover and said dude kinda looks like Bond. (In a suit gun to his side). Then I saw it was DC and had to see the film. So I picked it up at a video rental store that sells by two get one free as my free third movie. Daniel Craig carries the film. Is it a great movie well lets say it is pretty good. But, I was watching the film to see Craig as Bond and I can see exactly what they were thinking when casting Craig. This movie is the film that sealed the deal for Craig as Bond to me. If you want a great film watch something else. If you want to know why DC was cast as Bond watch this film.

[luciusgore]

I'm watching it. It's decent. Craig is quite good. Very Steve McQueen. He will make an interesting Bond. He is WAY DIFFERENT from Brosnan. Definitely the most masculine Bond since Connery.

[Alex Zamudio]

A few weeks ago I bought the DVD, I think it is a good film, but not as dynamic or interesting as most gangster dramas, American or British. The characters are not deadly interesting as some were definitely in Snatch.
But Craig is great, his screen presence is quite engaging, he interests you in his character, and this holds the film together, he is a very talented actor, and I don't think many can argue that he is a charismatic thespian.
Although as some has stated, he is not acting as a amazingly self assured "smooth operator" as 007 is; but he is quite cool, tough and charming on screen, a great promise for CR.

Not that I approve of everything Craig does, but he has impressed me so far with what I've seen, I've always have found great merits in all the 007 actors performances, and now I expect the same of Craig.

Edited by Alex Zamudio, 26 October 2005 - 05:48 AM.

[White Tuxedo]

Yeah, I really enjoyed when I saw it in the theatre. Enough so to buy the DVD. Of course, I was already a fan of Craig from Road To Perdition (one of my favorite movies ever). I liked it a lot more than Snatch, that's for sure. It had an interesting enough plot, but the characters are what I liked more. Craig was great. And Sienna Miller looked simply outstanding in lingerie.

[chiclit]

No one has mentioned the special features of the DVD-the Q and A with Michael Vaughn and Daniel Craig. I agree that MV would have made a good Bond director, loved his comments, particularly his discreet implication that Guy Ritchie couldn't get it together to direct the film. Daniel was relaxed and articulate at the Q and A-very different than at the Bond conference. Think he was a little freaked out at what he had gotten himself into, there. Or mortified that he had to do the boat stunt:)

[gadgetfusion]

[quote name='K1Bond007' date='20 October 2005 - 21:57'][quote name='Carver' date='20 October 2005 - 16:16'][quote name='K1Bond007' date='20 October 2005 - 20:44']Halle Berry b00bIes

[killkenny kid]

Great, with a glass of milk.

[qtst]

It's a good movie. I got a bootleg DVD copy when it first came out.. and that was before Daniel Craig is Bond. I really enjoyed him in it, very good actor, but still when it comes to being Bond...well...'sigh'

[hcmv007]

I'm watching it. It's decent. Craig is quite good. Very Steve McQueen. He will make an interesting Bond. He is WAY DIFFERENT from Brosnan. Definitely the most masculine Bond since Connery.

Very interesting comapairison to Steve 'BMF ever' McQueen. Agree wholeheartedly w/ you, luciusgore. And yes, he does bear a physical resemblence to the great one, and has a similar acting style.

[David Schofield]

I'm watching it. It's decent. Craig is quite good. Very Steve McQueen. He will make an interesting Bond. He is WAY DIFFERENT from Brosnan. Definitely the most masculine Bond since Connery.

Very interesting comapairison to Steve 'BMF ever' McQueen. Agree wholeheartedly w/ you, luciusgore. And yes, he does bear a physical resemblence to the great one, and has a similar acting style.

Seen this McQueen comparison before and I just don't get it. In the McQueen films I've seen - the usual: Great Escape, Thomas Crown, Magniicent 7, Cinicinatti Kid, the Hunter, Towering Inferno - he seems far more laid back and "American" than Craig in Layer Cake. Craig is far more intense, McQueen "American" cool: not quite sure what defines "English" cool - probably Connery in the first four. Put Craig is some Connery-esque outfits, though, and you might have English-cool (not the over-effeminate male model stuff of Brozza). Just not McQueen cool, IMO.

[Obiwan]

Layer Cake is a IMO is a very good movie. I liked it alot. I rented it from Blockbuster.

[Arch Stanton]

I was planning on buying this once Danny-Boy was announced as Bond, but havent got around to it yet. I was at Barnes & Noble a few days ago and noticed the book Layer Cake on a shelf, so I bought it (I didn't realize till that moment it was book). Only have way through, and it's a pretty alright so far. Don't think I'll have probelms understanding the plot when watching the movie now.

[double-O-Durg]

When I saw Layer Cake, Craig convinced me he could do Bond. He'd been a bit bland in tomb raider, too bad guy in Road to Perdition but Layer Cake was quite gd. I wanted to hate Craig wen he was announced as Bond i wasnt enthusiastic at all but LC won me over.

PS listen 2 the commentary from Matthew Vaughn, the bit wen Craig gets the gun from Colm MEaneys character he mentions Craig doin a 'wannabe Bond' moment. O the Irony

[Blofeld's Cat]

Saw LAYER CAKE last night (the 1st movie I've seen in quite awhile actually ) and I like it a lot.

However, it's also the 1st time I've got to see DC in a movie, and well, I can't quite see him as Bond from what I saw, which is natural as he wasn't playing Bond was he? But, if he's a really good actor he'll make himself "look" the part of Bond, like any other good actor making a role their own.

[[dark]]

Layer Cake came out on DVD this week in Australia and I snapped up my copy.

They're really playing up the fact it stars the new James Bond.

The attached ad from this month's Empire magazine makes a point of it, whilst the DVD itself has a sticker with the 007 logo slapped on the front of it.

Good publicity for Casino Royale, I suppose!

Attached Files

•  layer_cake_ad.jpg   344.98KB   87 downloads
•  layer_cake_dvd.jpg   282.12KB   80 downloads

[mccartney007]

Layer Cake came out on DVD this week in Australia and I snapped up my copy.

They're really playing up the fact it stars the new James Bond.

The attached ad from this month's Empire magazine makes a point of it, whilst the DVD itself has a sticker with the 007 logo slapped on the front of it.

Good publicity for Casino Royale, I suppose!

Well that's pretty cool.

[Blofeld's Cat]

Layer Cake came out on DVD this week in Australia and I snapped up my copy.

They're really playing up the fact it stars the new James Bond.

Had to happen, didn't it.

The attached ad from this month's Empire magazine makes a point of it, whilst the DVD itself has a sticker with the 007 logo slapped on the front of it.

Are they allowd to use the 007 logo though!?

[[dark]]

,18 December 2005 - 15:19]Layer Cake came out on DVD this week in Australia and I snapped up my copy.

They're really playing up the fact it stars the new James Bond.

Had to happen, didn't it.

The attached ad from this month's Empire magazine makes a point of it, whilst the DVD itself has a sticker with the 007 logo slapped on the front of it.

Are they allowd to use the 007 logo though!?

If it was any distributor other than Sony... no. But it was Sony.

[Righty007]

,18 December 2005 - 02:19]
Layer Cake came out on DVD this week in Australia and I snapped up my copy.

They're really playing up the fact it stars the new James Bond.

The attached ad from this month's Empire magazine makes a point of it, whilst the DVD itself has a sticker with the 007 logo slapped on the front of it.

Good publicity for Casino Royale, I suppose!

That is very cool!

[Moore Not Less]

I finally got round to seeing Layer Cake and it was better than I thought it was going to be. It's a well made, good looking and entertaining film. I also liked the music. The only thing that put me off was the incessant use of the "F" word. I am a bit old fashioned about that sort of thing in films.

Daniel Craig was convincing as xxxx. The role suited him well and he made the most of it. There's a brief moment where he does Bond like poses with a gun, but Layer Cake is a long way from Casino Royale. Still, he carried himself and the film well enough. And he was backed up by a good supporting cast.

Edited by Moore Not Less, 30 December 2005 - 01:43 PM.

[Moore Not Less]

No one has mentioned the special features of the DVD-the Q and A with Michael Vaughn and Daniel Craig. I agree that MV would have made a good Bond director, loved his comments, particularly his discreet implication that Guy Ritchie couldn't get it together to direct the film. Daniel was relaxed and articulate at the Q and A-very different than at the Bond conference. Think he was a little freaked out at what he had gotten himself into, there. Or mortified that he had to do the boat stunt:)

I saw the Q & A with Michael Vaughn and Daniel Craig. For me, Craig seemed relaxed enough but he was hardly any more articulate than he was at the official Bond press conference. That sort of thing clearly does not come so naturally to him as it does to Roger Moore or Pierce Brosnan, for example.

[Number 6]

I thought that it was a good movie. A little of a British version of Carlito's Way in ways but overall it's one I don't think I'd get tired of watching.

[Judo chop]

To the Hugh Jackman crowd: How is Swordfish? I was thinking about renting it.

Forgettable.

(At least, from what I remember...)

[Ry]

I had seen bits and pieces of Layer Cake a few times, but had never sat down and watched the whole thing. The film is well shot and edited, but lacks something more. I felt the screenplay was all over the place. Craig, however, is top notch. I can see why this performance is one that EON remembered. For another great performance by Craig see Munich. Not a perfect film by any means, but Craig is solid take on the character.

P.S.: Swordfish is not good.

[Stratus]

I watched it once, but I thought the ending relied on a Deus Ex Machina. Otherwise it was good. I love crime films.

Edited by Stratus, 11 January 2006 - 12:50 AM.

[Robinson]

It's an enjoyable film, but much more gritty than anything Guy Richie did in the genre.  Craig offered a fantastic performance, which is one of the reasons I'm excited about his casting in Casino Royale.

I don't know that it topped Snatch, which is my favourite film of that genre, but it's certainly a good watch.  Tempted to pick it up on DVD, even if only to familiarise myself with the new 007.

Oh, and Layer Cake has a ripper of a soundtrack.

Funny, I thought Snatch was "Lock Stock" with a bigger budget and two Hollywood A-List stars.

The thing that impressed me about Layer Cake was the fact that it was done for under 4 million pounds. You got some great character actors (Colm Meany, George "DEATH TO MING" Harris, Michael Gambon, etc)and the fact that it wasn't too in love with itself the way so many modern crime flicks try to be nowadays.

I warmed up to Craig after seeing the film because of his character's ability to work in several different arenas. He's invisible- the way a secret-agent ought to be.

I agree SWORDFISH started off well but became soooo weak and obvious by the climax. I found Halle at her hottest when she was wearing nothing but her knickers and a wire. Don Cheadle was wasted in the flick as was Vinnie Jones. Travolta plays a caricature of his comeback self. If it comes on cable, check it out.