Sexy Beast (2000)
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A retired criminal's peaceful life in Spain is disrupted when a violent associate arrives to demand his participation in a London bank heist.
The story
Gary "Gal" Dove, a retired criminal living in the peace of the Costa del Sol with his wife DeeDee, is confronted by an old associate, the menacing Don Logan. Don arrives with a demand: Gal must participate in a high-stakes bank robbery in London orchestrated by a crime boss named Teddy Bass. While Gal initially resists the pull of his former life, Don's aggressive and volatile presence creates a tense atmosphere. The conflict escalates as the pair prepares for the journey to England, forcing Gal to decide whether to maintain his quiet retirement or succumb to the demands of the criminal underworld.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Gary "Gal" Dove is living a quiet life in Spain with his wife DeeDee and friends until Don Logan, a violent sociopath, arrives to force him into a London bank heist. After a violent confrontation in Spain leads to Don's death at the hands of DeeDee, Gal travels to London to join the heist led by Teddy Bass. During the operation, the gang uses diving gear to breach a vault, and Gal secretly steals a pair of ruby and diamond earrings. Following the heist, Teddy confronts Gal about Don's whereabouts, and despite the tension, Gal returns to Spain. He eventually finds peace, though he continues to hear the phantom voice of Don in his head, which he dismisses as a memory of the man who is now dead.
- First release year
- 2000
- Runtime (minutes)
- 88
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; Spain
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jonathan Glazer
- Writers
- Louis Mellis · writer; David Scinto · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ray Winstone · Gary 'Gal' Dove; Ben Kingsley · Don Logan; Ian McShane · Teddy Bass; Amanda Redman · DeeDee Dove; James Fox · Harry; Cavan Kendall · Aitch; Julianne White · Jackie; Álvaro Monje · Enrique
- Genres
- crime; black comedy; thriller
- Themes
- Retirement vs. Past Life; Violence; Loyalty
- Tone and mood
- tense; violent
- Setting
- Costa del Sol, Spain and London, England.
- Premise and plot tags
- Heist; Crime; Road Trip
- Source material / true-story basis
- stage play
- Reception
- The film was critically acclaimed, with praise for Ben Kingsley's performance and the script's character development. It was also noted as one of the best British films of all time by Total Film.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · review count: 143; Metacritic · score: 79 · scale: 100 · review count: 30
- Awards and nominations
- Best Supporting Actor · Broadcast Film Critics Association · win; Best Supporting Actor · Boston Society of Film Critics · win; Best Supporting Actor · Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association · win; Best Supporting Actor · Florida Film Critics Circle · win; Best Supporting Actor · San Diego Film Critics Society · win; Best Supporting Actor · Southeastern Film Critics Association · win; Best Supporting Actor · Toronto Film Critics Association · win; Best Supporting Actor · Screen Actors Guild Award · nomination; Best Supporting Actor · Golden Globe · nomination; Best Supporting Actor · Academy Award · nomination; Best Director · British Independent Film Awards · win; Best Screenplay · British Independent Film Awards · win; Special Recognition · National Board of Review · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the final role for actor Cavan Kendall.; Ray Winstone spent two weeks in Spain before filming to get a tan and bulk up.; A prequel television series premiered in 2024.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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