People have definitely underrated this movie. At the end of the movie I was shocked and amazed at what had happened and thought that it was a great cliffhanger

I like Gangster movies, which is to say I like films about gangsters rather than films about cops trying to catch gangsters, which is a completely different genre. I like American gangster movies and I like Japanese gangster movies but I especially like British gangster movies. There have been many really good British gangster movies from the jokey offerings of Guy Ritchie to the grimmest of the grim "40 inch chest" and the sublime "Sexy Beasts" and of course "In Bruges". "Layer Cake" was another really good British gangster movie and it is this film that London Boulevard tries so desperately to emulate. Certain sections of the movie are basically re-shoots of similar scenes, it makes one wonder if Colin Farrell was staking a claim to be the next James Bond. Sorry Collin, if you had made this film 6 years earlier you might have been in with a shout but as it stands it is merely an average effort from a list of talent who should really have done better. David Thewlis is an exception to this, his performance, although a bit generic as the stoner English toff is the best part of the film. This is not to say that there isn't some entertainment to be found here and even the sparrow like Keira Knightley isn't as annoying as she usually is but just don't go getting your hopes up, its nowhere near a classic.

A surprising movie in many ways, Londm Boulevard rewards the watcher. It's filled with classy British acting, and a great script. A slow, but stylish story, which kept me entertained way better than expected, with a poster looking quite more like a crime story. It's bleach, no doubt! Well, criminal it is, for sure. But it's more brutal than you expect, based upon a novel by Ken Bruen, of which I knew nothing about in beforehand.Mitchel gets out after three years in prison, determined that he wants to get away from the criminal scene, which is obviously a merciless environment. But that's almost impossible, as his old pals are all expecting him to do jobs. He takes a job as a lifeguard for a famous actor, but is this his way out. Well he thinks so, though his led environment both is difficult to get rid of, and the marks on his gangster soul is also difficult to run from.Colin Farrell is better here than I've ever seen him. Keira Knightley dies a good job, but doesn't steal the screen from him. But then the film is followed by great acting in minor roles by a load of great British actors. I must say I started loving each and every one of them, down to the brief encounter with the youngsters in extra-roles. What a great instructor director William Monahan is!And not only that! The film is scattered with a great soundtrack which is almost worth watching the film blindfolded! Starting off with (what I believe is a '66) Rolling Stones tune, we follow up with the Yardbirds, Pretty Things, the 22-20's, the Nox Tops, Drek and Cluve, the Electric Banana, the Knickerbockers, Kasanian, Bob Dylan, Annu Malik and a lot of other great stuff which I don't recognize, all with a sixties feel. Simply marvelous! And very suitable for the flick as well. Yummy! This was well suited.Maybe the best British gangster movie I've seen, if you not count in the couple which are all a big laugh as well. Because this is hasn't got the wit of "Snatch." or "Two smoking barrels", but is way more serious.This film was so great that I watched it a second time, on which I added an extra star! Look out for this film maker! I certainly will!

It's too bad the rest of the film was not as interesting as the graphics used in the opening and closing credits (I don't think talking about the closing credits can be described as a "spoiler"). This is the kind of film I would describe as a British version of the American genre "mumble-corp". It's one of the few times I wished I had set my preferences to show subtitles along with the English version of the film. The greatest crime perpetrated in this film is that good actors capable of so much better actually got paid for the rote performances they all turned in. The British gangster genre is something that stands on its own for the sheer villainy of the bad guys. However, the histrionic levels of punishment meted out by these gangsters is so over the top that you have to ask yourself: "Was that really necessary?". In the words of the late Toronto film critic, John Harkness, "Wait until it comes out in video and then don't rent it."