Sexy Beast

Name: Sexy Beast
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: June 13, 2001
Duration: 89 min
Rating: 79
Cast: Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone

2001

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 72 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 72 Ratings

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SEXY BEAST

Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: June 13, 2001

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone

Summary: The story of one man's dangerous journey from peace of mind to paranoid panic when he's lured out of an idyllic retirement back to the gangster life. (Fox Searchlight)

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 89 min

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Awards & Rankings

33	#33 Best Movie of 2001
45	#45 Most Discussed Movie of 2001
1	#1 Most Shared Movie of 2001

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Critic Reviews

100

Salon - Andrew O'Hehir

An extraordinary and original creation. It belongs alongside "Amores Perros" and "Memento" on a shortlist of 2001's most exciting revelations. Read full review

Portland Oregonian - Staff (Not credited)

It's all jolly bad fun, but the primo aspect of the exercise is the phenomenally intense performance by Kingsley as a careening sociopath who is every bit as dangerous to his friends as to his foes. Read full review

New Times (L.A.) - Andy Klein

One of the compulsively watchable films this year, second only to "Memento." It's a must-see, except for those with a sensitivity to on-screen mayhem. Read full review

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

These are hard men. They could have the "Sopranos" for dinner, throw up and have them again. Read full review

L.A. Weekly - Ella Taylor

Glazer shoots with the dreamy impressionism much favored in his principal line of work, all floaty slo-mos and in-your-face close-ups punctuated by a hard-driving rock score. Read full review

Austin Chronicle - Marc Savlov

It smarts, and shocks, and just for a moment blows your mind. Read full review

Washington Post - Stephen Hunter

In the end, I'm wondering what's so special about a film that has but one guilty pleasure and that's Ben Kingsley spraying saliva-lubricated variants of the F-word into the atmosphere like anti-aircraft fire for 10 solid minutes. Read full review

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User Reviews

PaulM.

Mar 20, 2008

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 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

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MichaelB

Oct 3, 2009

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.

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Scraper

Sep 19, 2016

My favorite thing about this movie in the intensity that flares up like a volcano. Even when quiet, it burns and pulls the viewer in so deep, you can't escape. Wonderful.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

J.Hursty

Jan 26, 2006

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.

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MargetisM.

Jul 3, 2006

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 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

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emcoffey3

May 11, 2012

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

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Sep 23, 2009

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.

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