A volatile Englishman travels to Los Angeles
to find the man who killed his daughter. CRIME/DRAMA
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The Limey (1999)Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Lem Dobbs Starring Terence Stamp, Luis Guzmán, Lesley Ann Warren, Peter Fonda, Barry Newman, Nicky Katt, Joe Dallesandro |
Steven Soderbergh and Lem Dobbs have worked together on a few films with intense dialogue and Soderbergh’s fast paced style. The Limey moves like lightning, but I was shocked to see how poorly it did when it came out. Soderbergh has a real long filmography at this point so some films can get a little lost, but The Limey deserves a second look because it’s one of his best.
Wilson is an older Englishman whose daughter reportedly dies in a car crash but he has his own suspicions about her fate. He travels to Los Angeles right after being released from prison to start his own investigation. Wilson is a very hardened man with vengeance on his mind. He meets his daughter's friends Eduardo and Elaine and through them he is able to find Terry Valentine, a slimy music producer who dated his daughter. He sets out on a bloody journey to take Valentine down. Terence Stamp plays Wilson with so much British spice and it’s a performance that deserves some reassessing. His dialogue is filled with British slang terms and fiery insults. He has obviously seen some stuff and nothing scares him. The supporting cast is solid with a standout performance from Nicky Katt as sleazebag deluxe, Stacy. Soderbergh does some really cool stuff in The Limey, and brought a fantastic final act to life that’s unforgettable. |