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    Layer Cake

    • 20042004
    • RR
    • 1h 45min
    IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    170K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,036
    185
    • Cast & crew
    • User reviews
    • Trivia
    • IMDbPro
    Daniel Craig in Layer Cake (2004)
    Trailer 1
    Trailer1:58
    1 Video
    99 Photos
    ActionCrimeDrama

    A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.A successful cocaine dealer gets two tough assignments from his boss on the eve of his planned early retirement.

    • Director
      • Matthew Vaughn
    • Writer
      • J.J. Connolly(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Daniel Craig
      • Sienna Miller
      • Michael Gambon
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Matthew Vaughn
    • Writer
      • J.J. Connolly(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Daniel Craig
      • Sienna Miller
      • Michael Gambon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 322User reviews
    • 159Critic reviews
    • 73Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

    Layer Cake
    Trailer 1:58
    Layer Cake

    Photos99

    Daniel Craig and Sienna Miller in Layer Cake (2004)
    Jamie Foreman, Sally Hawkins, and Burn Gorman in Layer Cake (2004)
    Colm Meaney, Daniel Craig, and Jamie Foreman in Layer Cake (2004)
    Colm Meaney, Rab Affleck, Daniel Craig, and George Harris in Layer Cake (2004)
    Colm Meaney, Rab Affleck, Daniel Craig, and George Harris in Layer Cake (2004)
    Daniel Craig and George Harris in Layer Cake (2004)
    Daniel Craig, Ben Whishaw, and Sienna Miller in Layer Cake (2004)
    Daniel Craig and Ben Whishaw in Layer Cake (2004)
    Colm Meaney, Daniel Craig, Tom Hardy, George Harris, and Tamer Hassan in Layer Cake (2004)
    Daniel Craig in Layer Cake (2004)
    Colm Meaney in Layer Cake (2004)
    Daniel Craig in Layer Cake (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Daniel Craig
    Daniel Craig
    • XXXXas XXXX
    Sienna Miller
    Sienna Miller
    • Tammyas Tammy
    Michael Gambon
    Michael Gambon
    • Eddie Templeas Eddie Temple
    Tom Hardy
    Tom Hardy
    • Clarkieas Clarkie
    Jamie Foreman
    Jamie Foreman
    • Dukeas Duke
    Sally Hawkins
    Sally Hawkins
    • Slasheras Slasher
    Burn Gorman
    Burn Gorman
    • Gazzaas Gazza
    Brinley Green
    • Nobbyas Nobby
    George Harris
    George Harris
    • Mortyas Morty
    Tamer Hassan
    Tamer Hassan
    • Terryas Terry
    Colm Meaney
    Colm Meaney
    • Geneas Gene
    Marcel Iures
    Marcel Iures
    • Slavoas Slavo
    Francis Magee
    Francis Magee
    • Paul the Boatmanas Paul the Boatman
    Dimitri Andreas
    • Angeloas Angelo
    Kenneth Cranham
    Kenneth Cranham
    • Jimmy Priceas Jimmy Price
    Garry Tubbs
    • Brianas Brian
    Nathalie Lunghi
    Nathalie Lunghi
    • Charlieas Charlie
    • (as Natalie Lunghi)
    Marvin Benoit
    • Kinkyas Kinky
    • (as Marvyn Benoit)
    • Director
      • Matthew Vaughn
    • Writer
      • J.J. Connolly(screenplay) (novel)
    • All cast & crew
    See production, box office, & company info

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A successful cocaine dealer, who has earned a respected place amongst England's Mafia elite, plans an early retirement from the business. However, big boss Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham) hands down a tough assignment: find Charlie Ryder (Nathalie Lunghi), the missing rich Princess daughter of Jimmy's old pal Eddie Temple (Sir Michael Gambon), a powerful construction business player and gossip papers socialite. Complicating matters are two million pounds' worth of Grade "A" ecstasy, a brutal Serbian gang, and a whole series of double crossings. The title "Layer Cake" refers to the layers or levels anyone in business goes through in rising to the top. What is revealed is a modern underworld where the rules have changed. There are no "codes", or "families", and respect lasts as long as a line. Not knowing who he can trust, he has to use all of his "savvy", "telling", and skills which make him one of the best, to escape his own. The ultimate last job, a love interest called Tammy (Sienna Miller), and an international drug ring threaten to draw him back into the "cake mix". But, time is running out and the penalty will endure a lifetime.
    nipples visible through clothingno pantiesscantily clad femalepantieslingerie307 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong brutal violence, sexuality, nudity, pervasive language and drug use
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      It was Daniel Craig's performance in this movie that caused producer Barbara Broccoli to take notice and think he might be a good fit for James Bond.
    • Goofs
      Slavo and Dragan are supposed to be Serbians but they speak Romanian.
    • Quotes

      Eddie Temple: You're born, you take shit. You get out in the world, you take more shit. You climb a little higher, you take less shit. Till one day you're up in the rarefied atmosphere and you've forgotten what shit even looks like. Welcome to the layer cake son.

    • Crazy credits
      The film title appears on a door that XXXX walks through.
    • Connections
      Featured in Becoming Bond (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Hayling
      Written by Daniel Ormondroyd, Jon Nowell, Hafdís Huld and Jon Collyer

      Published by Copyright Control

      Performed by FC Kahuna

      Courtesy of Skint Records

    User reviews322

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Great showcase for Daniel Craig's talent - and solid entertainment
    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
    helpful•69
    24
    • Flagrant-Baronessa
    • Aug 10, 2006

    FAQ5

    • Why is the film called Layer Cake? (SPOILERS)
    • What is the song that plays when ...? (SPOILERS)
    • Do we ever learn xxxx's real name?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 3, 2005 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Gaumont Columbia Tristar (France)
      • Sony Pictures Classics (United States)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Romanian
    • Also known as
      • L4yer Cake
    • Filming locations
      • Stoke Park House, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Sony Pictures Classics
      • Marv Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • £4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,339,957
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $81,706
      • May 15, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,850,214
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 45min
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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