Alright Ron,alright Reg.

Rating: 5/10 (2 January 2016)

After seeing a number of TV docs which picked up on the strange mythical status of the "they always looked after their mum" English gangsters the Krays,I was originally not that keen on seeing a film about them,but due to having been impressed by Tom Hardy's performance in the excellent Western The Revenant,I decided that it was time to meet the brothers.
The plot:
Building a criminal empire in the east end of London,Ronnie & Reggie Kray decide to take advantage of a rival gang being sent to jail for 20 years,by setting their sights on ruling London's underworld.Taking over some of the biggest clubs,the Krays catch the attention of a US gang,who offers to make them partners in crime.Accepting the deal,the Kray's start to become a force to be reckoned with in London,as their personal lives slip away.
View on the film:
Starting off in the swinging '60s east end,writer/director Brian Helgeland & cinematographer Dick Pope soak the streets in deep blue,which stylishly reveals the Krays to be the "force" on the street. Diving into the era with gliding tracking shots, Helgeland appears determined to wipe any Neo-Noir grit off the slate,as the streets of violence are given a perfect, pristine appearance which is completely at odds with the Krays activities.
Loosely based on John Pearson's book The Profession of Violence, (with Helgeland deciding to leave a lot of major real life details out,which includes the third,oldest Kray brother Charlie) Helgeland spends the 2 hour running time no knowing which direction to take the title,as any sign of hard-nose Neo-Noir shots from the brothers are worn down.Wrapping a dire narration about "the kings of London" over the film,Helgeland fails to offer any sense of progression or view under the kneecaps of the Krays,thanks to Helgland pulling the Krays back from every step they take into going deeper into the underworld,to being two boys who love their mum who can't stop delivering hilariously cliché dialogue about their legendary Cockney legacy.Whilst Emily Browning gets torn between showing Frances Shea as a London princess and a tragic case, Tom Hardy gives a performance brimming with confidence as the brothers,as Ronnie's comedic punch is nicely joined by Reggie's sinister gaze in a film that is far from legendary.