It seems as though writer-director William Monahan read a book titled Gangster Movies for Dummies before setting out to make London Boulevard. Then again, Monahan could probably write such a book himself, given that he is the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. Nonetheless, London Boulevard is a pale shadow of that film, tinged with the grey fog of Britain rather than Boston, and though one might argue it’s unfair to compare the two, it’s impossible not to do so. It is also impossible not to compare London Boulevard to the many other British gangster dramas that have been made over the years, and to see how it comes up short to nearly all of film.
The film opens with Mitchel, played by the always-excellent Colin Farrell, being released from prison after three years for violent crimes. He wants to go straight, to start over; however, his old gangster buddy Billy (Ben Chaplin) sets him up in a flat and immediately draws him back into the nasty London underworld. Soon Mitchel finds himself in the thrall of Gant, a frighteningly evil man played by Ray Winstone with every ounce of menace he is capable of mustering (and Lord knows, he has a lot of it). Gant knows Mitchel via reputation only, and is determined that such an infamous, dangerous man be working for him rather than against him. This storyline has absolutely nothing about it to make it differ from every other Guy Ritchie film ever made, and lacks all of the wit, spark, and unique characters that those films have.
Where London Boulevard attempts to set itself apart from the rest of the genre is with its other main plotline, which involves Mitchel taking a job working for a reclusive young actress in his efforts to go straight. This is the part of the story that influences the title of the film (and the 2001 book by Ken Bruen that it is based on); it is meant to be a modern, British reinterpretation of the classic 1950 film Sunset Boulevard. However, Keira Knightley, while never more lovely, is no Gloria Swanson; the young actress named Charlotte that she plays is still so young and still so beautiful that their love story lacks the complex emotional heft of the one between Swanson’s aging Norma Desmond and William Holden’s screenwriter.
What made Sunset Boulevard so sad was to see how forgotten Norma Desmond was, and how much she had deluded herself into thinking she was still a brilliant, sparkling star. Knightley’s character still is a star, just one who has chosen to hide due to the relentless gaze of the paparazzi lurking around her London mansion and harassing her to the point of early retirement. She is the exact opposite of Swanson’s character in Sunset Boulevard and a lot less sympathetic. As a result, the Hollywood-displaced noir that plays out in her home is even less interesting than the cookie-cutter gangster drama on the streets.
This is Monahan’s first film as a director, and he does exhibit a natural flair behind the camera. The actors are all solid and the film is stylishly shot and edited, as is to be expected from this genre. The soundtrack is sets a perfect tone as well. Where the film falls flat is the most important place of all for a film to stand up—the story. The story is just downright boring. The actors, while doing the best they can with the material, are playing characters that are flat and uninteresting. Farrell has a natural charisma that makes you root for him even when he is playing rather despicable characters, and Mitchel has many good points. He cares deeply for his dangerously wild sister Briony, played by Anna Friel, and he does want to leave the world of crime behind. Yet that is all we ever know about him, and that isn’t enough to carry the film’s story.
Knightley’s character is even duller and has absolutely no chemistry with Farrell. The most compelling character of the lot is Jordan, a former actor who now lives with Charlotte as her caretaker and spouts a lot of witty and philosophical dialogue while under the influence of a lot of drugs. He is played by David Thewlis, best known to many as Professor Remus Lupin from the Harry Potter films, and he is brilliant. When he appears in a scene, it instantly becomes more fascinating. When he is gone, the film becomes mediocre once again.
When you look at the pedigree of the cast and the talent behind the camera, one expects a lot more from London Boulevard. It’s a shame that what the audience gets instead is a film that, while appearing on the surface to be flashy and fun, is easily forgotten as soon as the credits roll.
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
The only extra on the single Blu-ray disc is a standard “The Making of London Boulevard” featurette.
"London Boulevard" is on sale February 21, 2012 and is rated R. Thriller. Written and directed by William Monahan. Starring Colin Farrell, Keira Knightley, Ray Winstone.
