Brighton Rock (2010)

Charts the headlong fall of Pinkie, a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager with a religious death wish.

Director:

Rowan Joffe

Writers:

Rowan Joffe, Graham Greene (novel)

Stars:

Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Helen Mirren

1 win & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sam Riley	...	Pinkie
Andrea Riseborough	...	Rose
Helen Mirren	...	Ida
John Hurt	...	Phil Corkery
Phil Davis	...	Spicer (as Philip Davis)
Nonso Anozie	...	Dallow
Craig Parkinson	...	Cubitt
Andy Serkis	...	Colleoni
Sean Harris	...	Hale
Geoff Bell	...	Kite
Steven Robertson	...	Crab
Maurice Roëves	...	Chief Inspector
Steve Evets	...	Mr. Wilson
Francis Magee	...	Pavement Photographer
Adrian Schiller	...	Registrar

Storyline

An adaptation of Graham Greene's classic novel about a small-town hood who marries a waitress who deduced that he killed a rival thug in order to keep her quiet. As his gang begins to doubt his abilities, the man becomes more desperate and violent.

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Plot Keywords:

prayer | spiv | waitress | gang | brighton | 

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Taglines:

Love. Murder. Revenge.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 February 2011 (UK)

Also Known As:

Anilikos dolofonos

Filming Locations:

Regency Cafe - 17-19 Regency Street, Victoria, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£352,815 (United Kingdom), 4 February 2011, Limited Release

Company Credits

Production Co:

StudioCanal,BBC Films,UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Carey Mulligan was cast as Rose, but was replaced by Andrea Riseborough after Mulligan dropped out to do Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010).

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Goofs

When Rose opens the record player, it has a modern British plug on it. In 1960s Britain plug pins were round. Safety switches wall sockets would not have been in place at this time, either.

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Connections

Version of Brighton Rock (1948)

User Reviews

Good versus Evil, Sin and Redemption: Graham Greene Revisited

BRIGHTON ROCK is a British remake of the 1947 brilliant film noir based on the novel by Graham Greene an adapted for the screen by Graham Greene and Terrance Rattigan. This BRIGHTON ROCK has been updated from the original 1930s setting to the 1960s and the screenplay is by Rowan Joffe (who also directs) - tough competition with the original writers! The result is a dark film that relies on performances by some actors who are not up to the task and makes them seem even more weak by the presence of such brilliant actors in smaller roles as Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Philip Davis and Andrea Riseborough.

The story takes place in 1964 in Brighton, once a quiet seaside town, is suddenly overrun by gangs of sharp suited Mods and greasy Rockers looking for a riot. Looking to be the top Mod gangster, Pinkie Brown (Sam Riley) will stop at nothing to be the biggest name in the crime world - bigger than the competitor Colleoni (Andy Serkis). Pinkie witnesses the vicious death of fellow Mod Kite (Goeff Bell) and is determined to kill the perpetrator Hale (Sean Harris). Pinkie's ruthless and violent ambition takes over his mission and when he discovers that a waitress named Rose (Andrea Riseborough) who works at Snows, a café run by Ida (Helen Mirren), is involved tangentially in the murders, Pinkie decides to court the plain Jane Rose, knowing that if he marries her she cannot testify against him should she discover Pinkie's guilt in the murders. Ida had a 'connection' with Hale and sees through the veils of deceit Pinkie is placing on the innocent Rose, and she and her longtime friend Phil (John Hurt) undermine Pinkie's plans. Pinkie marries Rose - a gesture that secures Rose's fascination and new love for Pinkie - to keep her from testifying against him. As factors around the conflicts between the two gangs tighten and Pinkie fears for his end, he convinces his new bride to take part in a mutual suicide, an act that has a surprising end.

What is missing in this updated adaptation is Graham Greene's important emphasis on the theme of sin, guilt and Catholicism: there are attempts to bring these concepts into the script but they become of lesser importance than the action and dark evocation of a period piece. There mood is well described by the cinematography of John Mathieson, but the single most effective aspect of this film is the brilliant music score by the gifted British composer Martin Phipps, godson of Benjamin Britten. Were there not an original film for comparison the film would likely be better accepted. But for those who are ardent fans of the novels of Graham Greene this film adaptation will likely disappoint. It is currently available On Demand and simultaneously in theaters before the DVD is released here.

Grady Harp