Sexy Beast

Colour, 35mm
United Kingdom, Spain, 2000, 91 min
Section: Horizons

Synopsis

A former thug named Gary lives a satisfied life with his beloved wife DeeDee in a villa in Spain. He decided to get out of his former ‘profession’ in order to enjoy the sun, his friends and a little comfort. His idyll, however, is shattered by Don, a former associate who arrives from London with an offer of a fantastic job: a bank heist masterminded by his boss Teddy. Gary refuses, but Don, a mentally disturbed criminal, decides to get him to accept the job at any price and by any means. The film reveals the director’s experience in shooting commercials and music videos. Visually, this is a very deliberate piece whose images and sound, coupled with terrific acting performances, create a refreshing and fascinating work. It is a film able to stimulate all the senses. A big fan of gangster films, Jonathan Glazer has made another contribution to the genre.

About the director

Jonathan Glazer graduated in theatre design and direction, and then began his career directing theatre and making award winning programme idents for the BBC. He first gained a name for himself as a director of commercials and music videos and has won numerous foreign awards. In 1997 he was named Director of the Year at the Music Video Awards, and his video for Jamiroquai entitled Virtual Insanity was nominated for ten MTV awards. Sexy Beast is his feature film debut.