Product: Plunkett & Macleane
Rating: 4.0
Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree
Jake Scott, son of Ridley, directed this grand tale of gentlemen bandits set in the mid 18th century. Even in the opening frames you can see he has a flare for his father's way of making things look. The sets, costumes and sense of framing all look much like something Ridley would have put together.Quite simply put, Johnny Lee Miller plays a threadbare "gentleman" cooling his heels in a cell on a charge of drunkenness. The cell door is demolished by a wheel which has come off a coach as it is being robbed by one Robert Carlyle. The two meet and begin a life of crime that entails robbing the rich and giving it to.....well....themselves. The idea is to garner enough wealth to start a new life in America. During an early robbery, Miller encounters Liv Tyler and it's love at first sight. Can he complete his plan with his partner AND bring Liv into the picture?This is a gorgeous movie. Every frame is a feast for the eyes. Maybe too much so. It's not until the second half that we start to get a feel for the characters. Prior to that everyone is swallowed up by the sets and costuming. The story is good enough. The robberies could have been more clever I suppose but they're not bad. And you do get to like those you are to like and hate those you are to hate. But this packs a lot of energy. It also has a lot of anachronisms in costuming and in the soundtrack. Maybe not quite as much as "A Knight's Tale" but enough to endear it to a younger crowd. It also has a good cast. Along with the above mentioned,you have Michael Gambon, Ken Scott and Tommy Flanagan, all turning in good performances. Jake Scott only has one other feature film under his belt which makes this a bit of an oddity. But as a first shot he's done a great job.This is a lot of fun. It won't change your life but it's well worth the time it takes to view it.