IMDb > Layer Cake (2004)
Layer Cake
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Layer Cake (2004) More at IMDbPro »

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Layer Cake (2004) -- A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.
Layer Cake (2004) -- A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.
Layer Cake (2004) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   35,190 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
J.J. Connolly (screenplay)
J.J. Connolly (novel)
Contact:
View company contact information for Layer Cake on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 October 2004 (UK) more
Genre:
Plot:
A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
3 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(114 articles)
Exclusive Interview: Jon Harris
 (From HeyUGuys. 29 November 2009, 6:48 PM, PST)

Exclusive Clip from The Descent Part 2
 (From HeyUGuys. 27 November 2009, 4:00 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Great showcase for Daniel Craig's talent - and solid entertainment more (208 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Daniel Craig ... XXXX
Tom Hardy ... Clarkie
Jamie Foreman ... Duke
Sally Hawkins ... Slasher
Burn Gorman ... Gazza
Brinley Green ... Nobby

George Harris ... Morty

Tamer Hassan ... Terry

Colm Meaney ... Gene
Marcel Iures ... Slavo
Francis Magee ... Paul the Boatman
Dimitri Andreas ... Angelo
Kenneth Cranham ... Jimmy Price
Garry Tubbs ... Brian
Nathalie Lunghi ... Charlie
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
L4yer Cake (Ireland: English title) (DVD box title) (UK) (DVD box title) (USA) (DVD box title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong brutal violence, sexuality, nudity, pervasive language and drug use.
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital | SDDS (US prints) | DTS

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the penultimate scene at the Stokes country club, XXXX and his fellow drug dealers are eating a layer cake. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When XXXX and Gene are drinking, there is a shot which goes through the glass table. When the shot returns above the glass table the hand position of XXXX has drastically changed. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
XXXX: When I was born, the world was a far simpler place. It was all just cops and robbers.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Becoming Bond (2006) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Ruthless Gravity more

FAQ

Who got the pills?
Do we ever learn xxxx's real name?
Why is the film called Layer Cake?
more
31 out of 40 people found the following comment useful.
Great showcase for Daniel Craig's talent - and solid entertainment, 10 August 2006
7/10
Author: Flagrant-Baronessa from the kingdom of far, far away (Sweden)

I can IMPOSSIBLY outline the plot of Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake, so I'll just say it's about a nameless guy (Daniel Craig) doing some criminal stuff in London.

In my observation there are three approaches to gangster characters in crime films: 1) The overly-amateurish 'gangsters' that are scared sh*t and mess up, like in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, 2) The kind of gangster who is an amateur, but picks up on criminal ways quickly and effortlessly if the occasion calls for it, like Max the cab driver from Collateral and 3) The stone-cold professionals who can do whatever, whenever with whatever, like any mob-boss, contract killer, etc.

What is so endlessly refreshing about Layer Cake (2004) is that it applies none of these approaches to its main character Daniel Craig. He is a drug-dealer, but reluctantly resorts to violent ways. He hates guns. Murders and violence disturb him. He takes time to cope with things. He shows fear and hesitation. He actually bleeds when he is hit. In short, he is an extremely realistic person and this facilitates the film's realistic atmosphere - there's no glossy visuals or over-the-top violence.

Now, it is my opinion that Layer Cake could have perhaps used some of the latter to spice things up. Its director is the producer of Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and it is clear here that he is trying to move away from flashy Ritchie editing and effects as much as possible, making his own film just a bit too barren in order to be 'different'. It works fine, but as a result, the gangster characters aren't very funny or colourful - rather they are down-to-earth London men trying to make a living. A shady living, true, but still a living.

A few bland characters and an extra-template romantic storyline featuring Sienna Miller (I like her, but she is redundant in this film) drag this film down, but overall it is a very solid crime thriller, superbly acted by Daniel Craig. The score is great. In particular, please note the great use of "Ordinary World" by Duran Duran. Layer Cake isn't gloriously entertaining or anything but it feels very real and engaging and it is interesting to see the acting abilities of future Mr Bond - as well as his bare chest.

7/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Layer Cake (2004)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Layer Cake vs Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels vs Snatch kashiki200
Booze product placement theorleansfactor
My intelligence was insulted mihajlo321
He had the perfect ending and didn't use it... (SPOILERS) jtaboada
awful soundtrack contact-1356
TEN YEARS, TEN FACKIN YEARS! adam-rych
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