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Gangster No. 1
IFC Films


7.5

based on 15 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 12 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

FILM:

MPAA RATING: R for strong brutal violence, pervasive language, and brief drug use and nudity

Starring Malcolm McDowell, David Thewlis, Paul Bettany, Saffron Burrows, Kenneth Cranham, Jamie Foreman, Eddie Marsan, and Andrew Lincoln

The brutal, mesmerizing story of a deadly battle of wills between a gangland leader and his apprentice, a young man who emulates him to the point of psychosis and beyond. (IFC Films)

GENRE(S):	Suspense/Thriller
WRITTEN BY:	Johnny Ferguson
DIRECTED BY:	Paul McGuigan
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: October 8, 2002 Video: October 8, 2002 Theatrical: June 14, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	102 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	UK / Germany

Vision Award in Cinematography, 2000 Los Angeles International Film Festival

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

New Times (L.A.) Gregory Weinkauf

While you think you're watching just another in a series of British gangster films, you may suddenly realize that you're watching what is, thus far, the year's best horror movie.

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Taut, corrosive and compelling, Gangster No. 1 has the galvanic appeal of "Little Caesar" and "Scarface" in its full-sized portrait of a brilliant but twisted and savage criminal.

LA Weekly Ella Taylor

Like almost everything in this clever, brutal and strangely soulful movie, the time and place are accomplished by suggestion.

Portland Oregonian Shawn Levy

There's a touch of second-rate playwriting about it that imparts a flattened feel to the end of an otherwise crackerjack picture.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

This conclusion is too pat to be satisfying, but the film has a kind of hard, cold effect.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

A canny, derivative, wildly gruesome portrait of a London sociopath who's the scariest of sadists, in part because he's also a very courtly one.

Film Threat Tim Merrill

Works on so many levels that it must be reckoned with. It certainly feels unique, and sets itself apart from most American gangster films in its stark refusal to paint the lead gangster as likable or indeed anything other than the vicious socio-psychopath he is.

The New York Times A.O. Scott

The psychological underpinnings give this picture a charged emotional atmosphere. The dizzying unspoken feelings between the two men mesh so well that the movie seems to have been worked out like a perverse drawing-room comedy.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

It's Bettany's portrait of the monster as a young man that rivets attention. So remember the name, or don't. Just watch Bettany strut his stuff. You'll know a star when you see one.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

The movie's key asset is young Bettany as a worthy successor to the "Clockwork Orange" tradition of McDowell. With Bettany, a star is born, even if his character is horrific.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

The movie's captivating details are all in the performances, from Foreman's barking-mad Taylor to Thewlis's smoothly sinister Freddie and Bettany/McDowell's hard-eyed gangster, an amoral bottom-feeder with an expedient streak of sadism.

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

We're left with a metallic aftertaste.

Variety Derek Elley

Often nastily violent, and defiantly foul-mouthed in a realistic but dramatically unnecessary way, this portrait of a ruthless young hood in '60s London has several fine qualities but dilutes them with disorganized direction.

New York Post Megan Lehmann

See it only for Paul Bettany's performance.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

The actors all function as best they can as glowering clichés, though the narrative's temporal jump presents difficulties.

The average user rating for this movie is 7.5 (out of 10) based on 12 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Winston J. gave it a2:
This is a painfully bad film, though stylish to a degree. It betrays its origins as a play throughout. Whereas a film like Closer, for instance, achieved the transition from stage to screen with some good results, this fails miserably. In particular, the progression from the Sixties to modern day is ludicrous: summaries of the Seventies (a shot of Sid Vicious), and Eighties (snorting cocaine) are perfunctory, and the 'ageing' of the actors - powdered wigs etc. - is ludicrous. McDowell is a terrible miscasting; the scene between him and the older Frank is excruciatingly bad. And the phoney East-End accents? Bettany's performance redeems it marginally (who could forget "this is my favourite axe..."). Otherwise, this is a trainwreck. To be avoided.

David J. gave it a9:
Better than getting kicked in the face with a pair of golf shoes.

Rick gave it a 7:
A great psychologically driven gangster, horror film of bloody cynicism that leaves much to the imagination. One for the sadists of this world. It leave to the imagination is superb and a must to see although Mcdowell is a bit disappointing.

Andrew M. gave it a 10:
Great, F.....g Great.

Gilbert Mulroneycakes On Parade gave it a 7:
Of the 24,306 British gangster films of the mid to late nineties, this is one of the better ones, in that it's not completely and utterly awful as, for example, Circus. Doesn't really stand out either, but it's good while you're there - and big Mal (McDowell) is in it too, so it can't be wholly unentertaining without breaking the laws of physics.

Brian K. gave it an 8:
Paul Bettany is Brilliant very scary! H e makes the movie, all around good show.

Andy M. gave it a 10:
A brilliant british gangster film, well acted, well written and excellently produced. Watch it.

Gangster No. 1 IFC Films

Gangster No. 1
IFC Films