44 Inch Chest [DVD]

The film is outstanding in its portrayal of a "man who loved too much" going psycho and then pulling back. The language is extreme but given a stylised almost poetic rhythm; great nods here to David Mamet and his stylised approach to dialogue. As others have said it feels very much like a stage play in its claustrophobic 5(+1 in hood) men in a room talking heads approach; and if you're after the usual car chases, blood and guts and trite ending this is not for you. The characters are, I think, ciphers for different aspects of Ray's character, Colin Diamond's mind John Hurt's old man peanut is a vicious misogynist, angry about everything Steven Dillane as Mal, violent without conscience, wanting an eye for an eye Tom Wilkinson as Archie, loyal, loves his mum and wants life long commitment Ian McShane's Meredith, the cold intellectual. Who never loves, with sex being an act not an emotion. His gayness perhaps being used to convey Colin's feeling of loss of masculinity because of his wife's infidelity. These characters are used to get Colin to face his dilemma and decide on revenge (on the hooded & cuffed perpetrator in the corner) or acceptance that he has lost, and let the perpetrator go . The other characters, Joanne Whalley as the wife and a weirdly OTT cameo from Steven Berkoff are seen in flashback to fill out the back story. I was gripped by this well acted film from start to finish and as I ejected the blu ray from the machine was left with the question, was any of it real, or was this all played out in Colin's mind in the drunken aftermath of his wife saying "I've met someone else"...I don't know but I'm glad the film made me think something!

I saw this on TV when abroad and made a note of its title to get the DVD as I just had to watch it again Starring Ray Winstone (Colin Diamond - the Cuckold husband ) , Ian McShane (Meredith - a cold homosexual Intellectual), Tom Wilkinson (Archie who loves his mum and is a very loyal friend), John Hurt ( a odious, vicious and nasty ex jailbird with a yearning for the bad old days), Steven Dillane (Mal, a mad dog without conscience, hell bent on revenge) Joanne Whalley (The wife). In a lot of the other reviews the reviewers seem to have missed what I saw. It's about a gang of ageing friends supporting a mate who has been jilted by his wife. The principal character Ray Winston "captures" his wife's younger lover and takes him to a deserted house where the gang decide what to do with him. From there on it has a shade of "Reservoir Dogs" about it, as it all takes place within one room with a few flash backs. In my opinion the part where they are taunting the unfortunate "lover" about what he has done was hilarious - evil but so funny. The quips and interaction between the characters was superb, everyone giving stellar performances. I can't claim to be a great John Hurt fan but here gave the best performance of his career, well worth an Oscar. 44 Inch Chest [Blu-ray] [2009 ]

A complete waste of time!!!

44 Inch Chest [DVD] [2009 ] I thought i'd better write a review as i think that the majority of reviews have been based on the preconceptions of the critic, rather than the actual film. I don't think the product has been marketed fairly - as a run of the mill gangster movie, released some time after completion, with a trailer that gave a false impression of pace by cherry picking the highlights - when it is more of a sophisticated film that indulges the actors rather than the audience, or the Director. It is more Brecht and Pinter, stage and TV, than Scorsese and the movies. As with 'Nil By Mouth', the watching is uncomfortable and not gratuitous, yet the stylised writing and well developed characters give us plenty of opportunity to laugh, sometimes at moments when we should be squirming at our own inadequacies. In years to come, i think this film will bear a resemblance to Charles Laughton's ill received 'The Night of the Hunter' in so far as gaining respect over time for it's psychological value and craft, rather than success for it's immediate commercial selling power.

This film is so amazing, i must admit that i had to watch it more than once to fully appreciate it. John Hurt and Ian McShane play off each other so well. Ray Winstone plays the part of a heart broken man beautifully. All the cast are extremely well choosen and fit their parts perfectly. Anyone who has suffered heartbreak will know where Ray is coming from. Even though it's a serious film, there are plenty of laughs too, well worth a watch.

arrived on time. Product itself was good but despite a great cast I think this film is terrible. It's boring, and convoluted, it's basically Ray Winstone running around, getting angry and crying for 2 hours. It almost seemed like it was meant to be a play rather than a movie.... a boring play,

Loved it. (swearing aside) If you want a 'geezer gangster' movie- this is not it. A lovely well crafted film that will make you think- (yes, actual audience participation required) It's bit like 12 angry men- no flashy effects, proper acting. A process occurs throughout the film leaving you at a different point at the end than the one you started at... Forgive the ramble. A great film, give it a chance!

I still enjoy this film, even though Mr Winston isn't the best one, in my opinion I would say Ian McShane and John Hurt are the stars and the reason I keep watching, they are awesome in it

Film peu connu avec pourtant un casting mordant de seconds couteaux bien connus des aficionados des films britanniques du genre. Scénario classique sans surprise mais tout de même bien écrit, et élevé par l’interprétation des acteurs.

kammerspiel: dypisch englischer film,pornographisches geschwätz, handlung: null,-rache - für was weil eine frau fremdgegangen ist, schade fürs geld, nicht zu empfehlen.

Anche se solo in lingua originale, è un grande film, con grandi attori e ne vale comunque la pena e lo consiglio.

If I could rate this movie lower I would rate it negative 4 Stars. I bought this movie because I like interesting movies, I liked Sexy Beast (another movie by the same director and similar cast) and it had a great cast. I didn’t see anything redeeming about this movie unless you like seeing a bunch of old men sitting around swearing and use the “C” word over and over. Avoid this movie and look elsewhere for entertainment. Watching paint dry or watching grass grow (in winter) would be more entertaining. I feel bad giving such a bad review. I love the cast but it’s a POS and I feel obligated to warn you.

I know that there is a niche fandom for this film and it's certainly not for everyone, but I have to say - from one fan to another - you must have the rich quality of the Blu-ray in order to truly appreciate this masterpiece. Definitely recommend!!!