Sexy Beast

"Yes or yes?"

2001 1h 29m EN

👍

7.0

SOLID

★7.0TMDB · 955

CrimeThrillerDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Ex-safecracker Gal Dove has served his time behind bars and is blissfully retired to a Spanish villa paradise with a wife he adores. The idyll is shattered by the arrival of his nemesis Don Logan, intent on persuading Gal to return to London for one last big job.

“Yes or yes?”

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Cast

Ray Winstone
Gal
Ben Kingsley
Don Logan
Ian McShane
Teddy Bass
Amanda Redman
Deedee
James Fox
Harry
Cavan Kendall
Aitch
Julianne White
Jackie
Álvaro Monje
Enrique

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jonathan Glazer
Writers: David Scinto, Louis Mellis
Languages: English, Spanish
Countries: Spain, United Kingdom

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

89 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

25 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Spain, United Kingdom.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jonathan Glazer, shot by Ivan Bird. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Roque Baños. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Sam Sneade shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley and Ian McShane carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jonathan Glazer directs. Ivan Bird behind the camera. Roque Baños scores. Sam Sneade cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Spain, United Kingdom. Dialogue in English, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
225 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Spanish.
4International production across 2 countries: Spain, United Kingdom.
5Directed by Jonathan Glazer, shot by Ivan Bird. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Roque Baños. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Sam Sneade shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley and Ian McShane carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "Yes or yes?".
10IMDB entry: tt0203119 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Classified under 12 themes, including "gangster", "psychopath", "heist", "money".
12Released under 25 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Ivan Bird
Original score: Roque Baños
Editing: Sam Sneade
Production design: Jan Houllevigue
Costume design: Louise Stjernsward
VFX supervisor: Mark Nelmes
Stunt coordinator: Miguel Pedregosa
Runtime: 89 min · 1h 29m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $5,000,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Sexy Beast (2001)

Awards

European Film Award for Best Actor

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

Jonathan Glazer

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2015-06-04
★ 8/10
But quite frankly your attitude appalls me. It's not what you're saying. It's all this stuff you're not saying. Insinnuendos. Sexy Beast is directed by Jonathan Glazer and written by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. It stars Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Ian McShane, Amanda Redman, Cavan Kendall, James Fox and Julianne White. Music is by Roque Baños and cinematography by Ivan Bird. Retired to the Costa del Chill Out, retired thief Gary 'Gal' Dove (Winstone) finds his tranquil existence shattered when menacing gangster Don Logan (Kingsley) arrives on the scene demanding Gal goes back to London to do another job. 2000 saw a slew of British gangster films released. The success of "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" opened the door for film makers keen to do their bit for Brit Grit. As is always the way, quality varies, but the class of 2000 had a healthy rate of good 'uns, of which Sexy Beast is a proud operator. The story is very thin, very film noir, an ex bad boy doing one last job that risks everything he has settled down for, but there's a panache to how the makers construct the tale. It helps that it's boosted by a ferocious performance from Kingsley, who is given licence to unleash his dark half, as he swears, stares, gets violent and has a general disregard for anyone but himself. Director Glazer, in what was his film after breaking out from advertisements and music videos, shows a keen eye for stylist visuals and attention grabbing scenes. He opens with an outrageous sequence of Gal sun bathing by his pool, the sun burning down, and then a giant boulder thunders into view and lands in the pool! All set to the sound of "The Stranglers" single "Peaches". Quite a way to announce yourself in film. The first half of film is the best, set at Gal's Spanish villa, Glazer neatly frames the characters (Gal lives with his wife and his two friends from England live nearby) as they bicker and cower in the shadow of Logan, who wouldn't be beyond sending them all to hell if he doesn't get his way. It's sweaty and tense, a coiled spring like atmosphere tells us something is going to give - and it does. The second half of the piece is not so tense or thrilling, though the robbery has a whiff of genius about it, but the pay off works well because Gal has earned our respect, as has his fellow sun seekers. Sexy Beast is not just sexy (tongue in cheeks for the makers), it's beefy and brutal, but also strangely beautiful as well. Nice. 8/10
talisencrw2016-08-31
★ 9/10
The other day, my lady Tammy and I watched director Glazer's recent 'Under the Skin' and loved its otherworldly wackiness and ambience, and as I had his first two films on DVD, we decided that at the very least, this first one demanded immediate investigation. I've adored Ray Winstone's work since his early days working in the films of Sir Alan Clarke, and Ben Kingsley's always a treat. Watching the characters brought back such awesome memories of my teenage days, travelling throughout England and continental Europe in December, 1986, as well. We can't wait to hopefully check out 'Birth' later this week...This was definitely one of the best and most original British gangster movies since the likes of 'The Long Good Friday' and 'Mona Lisa' from that era...
CinemaSerf2024-03-10
★ 7/10
Ben Kingsley is great in this ultimate comedy heist movie. He is sent to wrest "Gal" (Ray Winstone) and his wife "Deedee" (Amanda Redmnan) from their well earned retirement (from the criminal fraternity) in Spain. Initially, they want nothing to do with "Logan" and his scheme, but a series of almost surreal events and a negotiation that can really only be describe as unique (and vaguely devilish) soon have them reunited with "Teddy" (Ian McShane) and plotting away merrily. Meantime, "Gal" is having some really curious dreams - and he is soon struggling to differentiate between reality and his vibrant and menacing visions. The standard thread of the story isn't much to write about, but the characterisations do make a difference here. The usually wooden Winstone works really well contrasting his hard-nosed criminal with his almost sentimental love for his wife and family. She, an erstwhile "adult entertainer" proves just as robust as him and even the unremarkable McShane has something about him that reminded me of why he was ever a charismatic success in "Lovejoy" in the first place. The plaudits do, however, go to Kingsley. Aided by a humorous and pithy script, he delivers the frankly monstrous and obnoxious character with his tongue in his cheek and a thinly veiled threat never far from his lips. I loved the last twenty minutes or so as the thing comes to an head and with plenty of twisting and writhing going on, it's anything but predictable. None of my favourite acting talent here, but hats off to Jonathan Glazer for pulling off a clever and sophisticated, yet rough and potent drama.