This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm a huge fan of the crime/mob/heist film genre, and my thoughts on Sexy Beast are: I'm not totally sure it falls into that genre. The heist portion of the movie, while somewhat clever, plays out rather quickly and uneventfully. The movie seems to place more emphasis on the chaos and anxiety that Ben Kingsley's character's arrival and (SPOILER ALERT) ultimate demise, which is the absolute highlight of the movie (END SPOILERS), causes the main character (Winstone) and his friends. I must say that Kingsley's performance is brilliant; his sociopathic tirades are rather superb. But, after a while, it's just a crazy guy harassing four people and you're ready for it to end. I didn't dislike Sexy Beast, I just don't think it's a movie I'd ever want to see again, nor is it one I can wholeheartedly recommend.… Expand

Ben Kingsley appears to use his role as the psychotic gangster Don Logan purely as an exercise in variety in this crime drama that ends up playing out more like a senseless stage production than a movie. Some suave surrealism and a biting humor keep the film interesting, but not enough to save it.

Retired ex-con, lives in Spain, gets call from London to do one more job, declines, old "friend" comes over to persuade him.
Very under-rated British film from 2000 that stands out in the Brit Gangster dross that was coming out at this time.
It's a pretty simple story but very well acted out & then of course there's Ben Kingsley.
I remember telling a mate about this and he didn't believe me how nasty Kingsley could be in a film. He's terrifying, funny & fascinating in every single scene in which he features.
Soundtrack isn't bad either.… Expand

Ben Kingsley as Logan and Ray Winstone as Gal are actors at the peak of their careers in this film. The menace just oozes. Never has gangsterism been so scarily real.

An astonishing and entralling movie. Ben Kingsley's performance is a revelation. Hard to believe that this is the same man who played Gandhi in real life, that motherf*cker.

This film has a delicate touch on today's youth, with the story of an ex-con and gangster who is forced to steal some stuff from some guy, and doesn't get to keep it, because he killed someone really annoying, who was buried under his pool, with a humonoid rabbit. WTF???? GTFO.

A thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Though filled with adrenaline pumping action from the very start, has a soft touch that appeals to the sissies.

An interesting and wonderful take to the life of a ex-gangster who is lured back to his old ways of being a gangster. Wonderful.

Improves with repeated viewings! Kingsley is alright and I understand the praise, but I actually preferred Winstone's performance, though it was probably because his character was just more likable.

Don Logan has to be seen to be believed and that is all there is to it.Kingley gives the performance of his or any other lifetime to lift an otherwise ordinary film to unmissable status.This unbelievable character is sure to be immediately warranting dvd purchases and etching his name at the top of everybody's favourite bad guy ever list. To say that this man is outstandingly hilarious would be a gross understatement.He's utterly side splitting. Logan's psychotic behaviour is undeniably memorable and is the crown jewel in this surprise package. I would go as far as to say that this film is solely about the impact of Don Logan's dementia and nothing else because after he has blown you away no amount of Ray Winestone acting talent or Don Logan-less dialogue will sway your attention back to his rendered unimportant character Gal. An exceptional performance if ever there was one by Mr Kingsley.Watch it now… Expand

An astonishing and entralling movie. Ben Kinsgley's performance is a revelation. Hard to believe that this is the same man who played Gandhi.

A gangster film with plenty of heart. Gal (Ray Winstone) is done. He's through with his old life, and just wants to be left alone -- but it's never that simple is it? When we do wrong it follows us around for the rest of our lives, just like Don Logan follows Gal and won't let him live in peace. Brilliant film-making with terrific acting and a wonderful script.

A solid gangster picture that consistently entertaining and engrossing. Great performances all around including Ray Winstone and Deadwood's Ian McShane, but the real awe-inspiring performance comes from Ben Kingsley as incredibly evil Don Logan who provides us with his best performance ever creating the scariest villian to EVER come out of the movie world. It's also quite funny in some parts.… Expand

Would've given this film a 7 were it not for Ben Kingsley's amazing performance. Considered by many the finest actor of his time.

someone says what is the point of it? The point is its real more real than other ganster movies and if you can't understand accents learn to speak english will ya.

This movie rocks. Ben Kingsly is amazing!

Another movie which portends to put down violence, crime, and hatred, only to bask in violence, crime, and hatred. Nothing more than very dull people threatening and harming other dull people. Ben Kinglsey's performance is the only redeaming aspect of the film, but is soon grows tired. Very little or no redeeming value.

This movie is above and beyound any gangster movie I have seen except for Scarface. I thought it was a love story and then Ben Kinsley shows up and wipes out romance the most convincing performance of a PSYCHOPATH that I have ever seen. 10!

The film was simple and full of happiness just untill the arrival of the most scary man ever!!! I got afraid and stressed out. I actually felt everything Ray Winstone was feeling. A brilliant movie. Ben K. deserved the oscar award. It was a surprise - I loved the dialogs-

Kingsley is absolutely brilliant. A superb original, riveting film. Not for Arnold fans though. This is an intelligent, well written, well directed film that many North Americans will not appreciate, nor really understand the implications of.

One of my favorite movies of all time.

Brilliantly stylised. Makes Lock Stock look like Swept Away. Kingsley is at once, terrifying, menacing and hilarious, and who said us Brits couldn't do a good gangster film?

What the hell is the point of any movie? Expand on your original point. Anyway, this film stands out from the rash of British gangster movies with its visual flair (British readers: remember the Guinness advert with the surfers and the horses and that? That was directed by Jonathan Glazer, that was) and the quite genuinely frightening performance by Ben Kingsley. Should you see this movie? Not if gangster movies ain't your thing, no - it's not very forgiving for the newbie. But otherwise...altogether now: "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"… Expand

What the hell was the point of this movie?!

Thin story, but this is really a two-man acting show, and it rocks.

This film rox! If U cant understand em it's your problem, not the film's.

Great film, in an overloaded genre. Great performances, dark humour, does not need to fall back on excessive 'car chases and explosion' style action. What's with the need for subtitles? Cultural imperialism at it's worst? How you you think the rest of the world copes with thick NY or US Southern accents? No, difficulty in understanding the pretty clear speech patterns is perhaps all about not having everything neon signposted-like most of Hollywood's output. Another terrific performance from Ray Winstone too, a versatile actor often rather typecast. Watching Sexy Beast makes you realise how little most A-List Hollywood stars have to do to get their Oscars. … Expand

Two MAJOR flaws...one, it gets rather boring, second, you cant understand a word they say. The accent is too thick.

How can a movie like this receive universal acclaim? What is wrong with British gangster flicks? Not a single one of them holds a candle to such classics as The Godfather or Goodfellas. Wow, Ben Kingsley says the f-word and there are lots of grisly parts, let's write a good review! I'm seriously beginning to think that most of these critics are being paid handsomely for their scores. Oh, and the orgy scene made me want to thow up. … Expand

Firstly, as an American, I think this film shoud have been subtitled, as I (and most audience members when I saw it) had trouble with their accents. Secondly, just because we're used to seeing Ben Kingsley in roles like "Gandhi" and "Schindler's List" doesn't mean he's Laurence Olivier because he plays a bad guy. Would we have marveled at that role if it was played by some unknown? Finally Ray Winstone was better than Kingsley, but all we hear about is Kingsley.… Expand

A film with unrelenting heat, both in its environment and the acts of the characters that have been created. British gangster films are so often embarrassingly bad and stubbornly clichéd that I can feel nothing but amazement at the freshness, power and style achieved by Sexy Beast. Oh, and obviously Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley are fan-bloody-tastic.

Sheer class.

My favorite movie in a year of terrible films.

Sturdy British caper film electrified by two performances: Ben Kingsley's much acclaimed bit of seething psychosis, and Ray Winstone's overlooked and more rewarding portrait of a bad man gone straight.

I think that I must have missed 10-20 minutes of the film because I didn't get it. The plot was stupid and dull and violent. The acting is unbelieveable, but the characters seem so distant to me. I think that this movie is overrated, but I think that I should give it another shot.

The movie is boosted by great performances (especially from the two leads) and above-average, sometimes brilliant direction from Glazer. But that's not quite enough to save the movie, which is sorely lacking a story worth caring about.

A definite breath of fresh air in a movie season that's been horrible. Is this the same Ben Kingsley that did "Shindler's" and "Gandhi"?? Incredibly bold. Ray Winstone is an excellent lead actor as well, and I hope to see him in more roles.