Daniel Craig - 3 Movie Reviews, Part 2

Archangel 2005

I found the plot in this made for British television movie very compelling. So much so, that I asked Sean to watch it. (Something I never do.) Sean is a fan of Cold War Era movies such as those penned by the likes of John Le Carré, where the movie dialog maybe one word in five minutes of a scene. (Snore.) So, I felt he would be a good judge of this movie. Well, Sean loved it and found it intriguing, well acted and plausible and we both thought it should have been made into a motion picture for world wide distribution rather than being kept on British television.

Daniel Craig plays “Fluke” Kelso, a Russian historian who is in Moscow at a symposium when he is contacted by a Stalinist-era bodyguard who claims to have stolen a diary of Joseph Stalin’s. While Kelso is checking into the existence of the diary, the bodyguard is tortured and murdered. Kelso locates the guard’s prostitute daughter, they find the document and flee together to Archangel to solve the mystery posed in the documents. There they discover segments of the Russian government supporting different political factions; one even supporting a return to Stalinist times. The movie is absolutely gripping. I highly recommend it even though Daniel Craig runs around in a two piece Sayville suit in frigid temperatures and should be freezing his butt off. Notice the snow clumping on his shoes in the scene where they are at the metal tool shed and get out of the car. My feet would be frozen solid. There is no nudity or sex. Sorry folks. Just great acting and a really good plot.

**** of five stars

Layer Cake 2004

Daniel Craig plays a drug dealer in this second rate movie about his last big drug deal. The drugs were stolen from their barbaric rightful owners (of course) and they are hopping mad (of course) shooting everyone they perceive to be involved without discretion (of course). The new owners are not happy with any price offers (of course) and some of them have to be shot (of course), even though buyers are killing each other to get the drugs (of course). Gee, get the feeling that I thought the movie was a tad predictable and mindless? Okay, so there are going to be some commonalities in these drug movies, but one doesn’t need to make it seem so cliché. If you want to see a really great British movie about drugs and gangs, rent Essex Boys with Sean Bean. It has a similar plot, but the execution is far more gritty and authentic. The thing I liked about Layer Cake the most was when Daniel’s character was in a bar and he first sees Sienna Miller’s character. The whole movie is worth seeing just for that look.

The look of chemistry there is not all acting, as they did have an affair on that set in 2003. When Sienna and Jude Law broke up over the Nanny thing, Craig swooped in to rescue Sienna in 2005. His former best friend, Jude Law, has yet to forgive him for sleeping with her. Yum: dirt. But my same old complaints apply here: not enough skin, sex, blah blah blah.

*** of five stars

Enduring Love 2004

A man (Daniel Craig) is having a lovely picnic with his soon to be fiancé, when a hot air balloon accident interrupts them. He rushes over to help with the rescue and his survivor guilt combined with a fellow rescuer who turns out to be a lunatic stalker must carry us throughout the rest of the movie. Enduring lack of plot is more like it. What I don’t get is why Daniel’s character didn’t just call the cops at one point when it is so obvious that this guy is a complete lunatic and physical threat to him and his fiancé. Well, you know what they say, that is what makes a movie a movie. Also stars Samantha Morton, Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy.

Wouldn't you call the cops on this guy if he was stalking you?

*** of five stars