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Face

Play trailer Poster for Face R 1997 1h 43m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 71% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A bitter former idealist, Ray (Robert Carlyle) plans a daring heist with his buddy Dave (Ray Winstone), who is a seasoned criminal. Joining the pair are the restless Julian (Philip Davis), ex-con Stevie (Steven Waddington) and aspiring mobster Jason (Damon Albarn). While the crew pulls off the robbery, the amount that they make out with is much less than expected. This situation causes conflict within the group, resulting in violence, betrayal and even murder.

Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Entertainment Weekly Rated: B Apr 9, 2005 Full Review Russell Scott Smith New York Post Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 18, 2005 Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com Rated: 3/5 Jul 27, 2008 Full Review Scott Weinberg DVDTalk.com Face had me a little skeptical at the beginning, but the flick coasts along at an appreciable clip, and it's fronted by a half-dozen really enjoyable performances. Rated: 3.5/5 Nov 26, 2005 Full Review Hartford Courant Rated: 2/5 Aug 5, 2005 Full Review TV Guide Rated: 2.5/5 Jul 27, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (109) audience reviews
John C Believe it or not, Britain did make decent gangster films prior to Guy Ritchie’s arrival with ‘Lock Stock’ style of film-making. And, one of those that has and probably always will be eclipsed by Ritchie’s way of film-making will be ‘Face.’ And that’s slightly surprising as it has two – reasonably – big names in British cinema in the lead roles – Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone. Perhaps one of its ‘flaws’ (and I put that word in quotes because, personally, I don’t consider it a flaw) is the way it’s directed. It’s hardly an exercise in style. Ritchie’s ‘Lock Stock’ films were that rare breed that seamlessly blended style AND substance. Well, Face does have the substance to be a great film, it just doesn’t have the style. It feels a bit like a ‘made-for-TV’ movie (perhaps because it was made by the BBC?) with its *slightly* bland style of direction. There’s no snappy montages or cracking tunes to heighten the mood and atmosphere. This is probably why it never really appealed to the masses. It’s about a bank robbery gone wrong (yes, I know that brief summary also sums up Reservoir Dogs, but, trust me, it’s nothing like that). The criminals get away with the loot, but someone wants it all and are prepared to use – lethal – force to get it. Okay, so it doesn’t have the style of Lock Stock or the instant cool of a Tarrantino movie, but it is a good little number in its own right. If you’re into your gangster films and aren’t looking for something ‘uber-cool’ then you could do worse than watch this one. You’ll probably find it on TV late at night, or as part of a TV/Movie streaming service. If so, it’s definitely worth a watch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/04/24 Full Review Audience Member Keeps you on your toes and guessing until the end. Robert Carlyle gives a fantastic performance as the dark yet somehow lovable Ray. Highly recommend! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member gritty british gangster heist movie.prefer this to snatch and just as violent as fight club. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member It all went down hill after Gerry Conlon's scene at the start. Predictable plot and the whole left wing sub plot was pointless. Still decent turns from Carlyle, Winstone and in particular Phil Davis makes it watchable. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Audience Member a well-assembled cast alone could not save the poor storytelling. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member A British gangster film with a bit more in the ways of brains than your average mockney rubbish. Ray is an armed robber and a face which is slang for a known villian. He and his team of armed robbers carry out a daring raid on a money depository which should leave them well in the black,only trouble is their isnt enough money to go round and one of the gang is starting to get greedy. What makes this film rise above the norm is the cast,Robert Carlyle is first rate as Dave a man with a troubled past who is desperate to free him self from a life of crime. Ray Winstone is great also as Dave a family man who wants out as well but for his own reasons . Stevie is Rays friend and again Steven Waddington excells inthe role. But for my money its Phil Davis as Julian who steals the film . One minute he is going crazy with a shotgun the next cradling his son in his arms its a performance that stays the right side of parody thanks to Davis making Julian a human being as well as a nutcase. Damon Albarn turns up and is ok ,but the robbery itself and a street gunbattle are deftly handled so that outweighs his rather soggy performance. An excellent and one well worth seeking out if you have had enough of cliched gangster movies. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Face

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis A bitter former idealist, Ray (Robert Carlyle) plans a daring heist with his buddy Dave (Ray Winstone), who is a seasoned criminal. Joining the pair are the restless Julian (Philip Davis), ex-con Stevie (Steven Waddington) and aspiring mobster Jason (Damon Albarn). While the crew pulls off the robbery, the amount that they make out with is much less than expected. This situation causes conflict within the group, resulting in violence, betrayal and even murder.
Director
Antonia Bird
Producer
Elinor Day, David M. Thompson
Screenwriter
Ronan Bennett
Production Co
Distant Horizon
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 25, 2005
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround