The Limey
In a nutshell: A man who calls himself
Wilson, arrives in LA to investigate the death of his daughter. But he’s no
ordinary man; recently released from an English prison, Wilson moves silently and skillfully from
place to place, relying on his cockney English slang and unbeatable drive in
getting close to the man who murdered his daughter. Los Angeles is the setting, where its British
Street Smarts vs. American Muscle & Braun.
What was different/original about
it? Before
Steven Soderbergh hit the big leagues with the likes of “Traffic” and the
“Ocean’s” trilogy, he made small time independent flicks. The Limey is one of
his most stylish and intelligent crime capers. Casting an ageing actor to play
a man with a gun and nothing to lose would have sounded bold on paper, but
Terence Stamp (Wilson) pulls it off effortlessly. What stands out most about
this film is the unique and creative way in which it is shot and edited. To
demonstrate the juxtaposition and surreal nature of the whole situation, you
will often hear voices speaking and noises from past or future scenes in the
film, blended into the background of other scenes. This really takes you inside
the characters heads, engrossing you in this little film that is slow in its
swing, but strong in its punch. It packs a wallop!
How did it change movies? The Limey continued to bridge the gap between
British and American cinema; sharing styles, clashing cultures and making
mayhem as a result. It also showed that even older guys could still kick butt,
despite being slower movers out of touch with the times; any angry geezer with
the right motivation proved he wouldn’t be stopped by younger, stronger men.
This was seen on display again in “Gran Torino” and the brilliant “Taken” which
turned Liam Neeson into a headlining action star at 57.
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