Adapted from Graham Greene's iconic 1939 novel, BRIGHTON ROCK charts the headlong fall of Pinkie, a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager hell bent on clawing his way up through the ranks of organised crime.
Riley sinks the pink(ie)
As a review it's important to appreciate, understand and experience the true classics of cinema, to just have knowledge of a film isn't enough sometimes. I stand by my choice to see the remake of Briton Rock without ever viewing the original. Judge me as you will.
That's not to say I don't have a knowledge of the movie, the plot, the impact it had on cinema and most importantly the much talked about ending (I'll get to that later), but it does mean that in this review there won't be many comparisons between the 2011 release and 1947 version with the same title.
The most notable difference between the original and the remake is the time in which both are set, the original was set in the 1930's the remake alternatively is set in the 1960's, I can't imagine how much of a dramatic difference this can make on a story especially when taking into account some of the more pivotal moments of the film.
My experience of Brighton Rock an interesting one. I watched it in a small screen surrounded by no one under the age of 50, these people weren't here to enjoy the movie like I was, they were here only to compare Brighton Rock to it's predecessor. That realization made me feel a great sympathy and shame towards the movie, before it even started, it had been judged. No one was really interested in the movie apart from to compare it to the original, but not me. I dare to be different and watched it with the sole intention of enjoy the film on it's own merits, I was not disappointed.
Brighton Rock isn't as epic or grand as many films you might see this year and it doesn't need to be, it owes much more of itself to William Shakespeare's Othello then any gangster film I could name. This is a film about a relationship, and how they're filled with drama. Brighton Rock and Othello have many of the same themes and callings in it, ironically many of the themes can also be seen in classic gangster movies, The Godfather, Get Carter and others. For all these one single word could summarize most of the film. Trust.Trust. Trust in each of the characters and their relationships with each other, along with the themes of betrayal, lies and hope.
That is what you will find at the heart of Brighton Rock, and for the duration we are handed a character, an antagonist who is true evil. Pinkie, is introduced as a misguided youth with more anger and frustration then is good for him, but it quickly becomes clear that Pinkie is nothing short of pure hate. Pinkie's brutality is only made more painfully clear when he is placed alongside the innocent and beautiful, Rose. She is moral and loving and all Pinkie isn't. For all of this only one question matters and hangs over the entire film, the answer we all want, does he love her?
I won't answer that question here, it's not one that should be written on the pages of a review, but in the dramatic acting that is put on display from the whole cast, each member hits their lines with perfection with Sam Riley and Andrea Riseborough being able to hold their own with the superstars like John Hurt and Helen Mirren.
To set the right tone and keep the momentum building in Brighton Rock the pitch in direction has to be perfect, Rowan Joffe hits it. Joffe uses real life historical events (like the Brighton riots) and interweaves them using dramatic irony to his advantage. Beautiful.
As I have mentioned before the ending is the most famous part of Brighton Rock. Everyone in the cinema was there to see if Rowan Joffe had changed it back to the original book or kept the one seen in the original. Which one did he choose? Like I am really going to deprive you of seeing the movie for yourself and finding out. No I am most defiantly not.
Truthful, gripping, defiant, different and bold Brighton Rock is no Greene mistake.
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Writer Rowan Joffe (THE AMERICAN) makes his feature film directorial debut with this searing adaptation of the Graham Green novel which follows psychotic gang leader Pinkie (Sam Riley – CONTROL) in Brighton of the 1960s.
Rowan Joffe writes and directs this adaptation of Graham Greene's novel. Updating the story from its original 1930s setting to the mid-1960s world of mods and rockers, the film stars Sam Riley as Pinkie Brown, a teenage gangster who seduces and marries young waitress Rose (Andrea Riseborough) after she stumbles upon evidence of a revenge killing carried out by him and his gang. Helen Mirren, John Hurt and Pete Postlethwaite co-star.
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