Legend
LEGEND (18)
D: Brian Helgeland
Universal/Studio Canal/Working Title (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner,
Chris Clark, Quentin Curtis & Brian Oliver)
UK 2015
131 mins
Biopic/Crime
W: Brian Helgeland [based on the novel "The Profession Of
Violence" by John Pearson]
DP: Dick Pope
Ed: Peter McNulty
Mus: Carter Burwell
Tom Hardy (Ronnie Kray / Reggie Kray), Emily
Browning (Frances Shea), David Thewlis (Leslie Payne), Christopher Ecclestone (Leonard 'Nipper' Reade), Chazz Palminteri (Angelo Bruno)
The mythology surrounding the Kray Twins has become just as
big a part of British culture as fish & chips, Carry On films and the FA Cup final.
Though this biopic on the lives of the East End racketeers is
a little fanciful with the truth, that's partly the point.
Tom Hardy plays the dual role of Reggie and Ronnie, one a
calm, calculated 'businessman' and the other a loose cannon, whose actions are just as haphazard as the words which come forth from his mouth.
Lifting their early days and relationship with their mother
out of the story, this film gets stuck into their adult lives, running casinos and clubs in the City as they both live in and out of prison, while Reggie plans on settling down with his
sweetheart, Frances, who he plans to marry. Much of the film is dedicated to the relationship between Reggie and Francis, while the twins' involvement with corrupt politicians is merely glossed
over on the periphery.
There's a cruel humour which runs through the story and though
it does glamorise the pair, what crime biopic doesn't?
Tom Hardy is the main reason the film is enjoyable, taking on
the dual role of both twins with such efficiency, you'd be forgiven for thinking it were two completely different actors. It's fair to say that without Hardy, this could have been just another
British gangster film.
6/10
