“No!” “Yes!” “No! No! No!” “YES! YES! YES!”
Sexy Beast (2000)
Crime films have infatuated audiences since one of cinema’s first narrative film, The Great Train Robbery (1903). Whether it’s the guns, the chase or the subconscious connection to the wild criminals, people keep coming back to this genre wanting more. A subgenre of the widely popular crime film is the gangster film, which has claimed more audiences than any other genre.
Glazer’s Sexy Beast is a classic gangster tale but with the perfect amount of twang. Certain conventions had to be followed to relate to the gangster film but Glazer manages to progress the genre in subtle ways that bring it to a new level. Low-key lighting, covert meetings, and unlawful methods characterize this ruthless world, but there’s always room for experimentation. It’s interesting to see how certain conventions have stayed true to the genre over a century, but at the same time it’s refreshing to see new films progress the genre.
When it comes to following gangster conventions, Glazer does his job. Low-key lighting is one of the hallmark indicators of a gangster film. The high contrast in shadows create a sense of mystery as the characters seem to have two sides to their personalities. One could say this lighting was popularized in the 30’s as gangster films leaned more towards noir territory. Due to budget cuts and the great depression, productions had to make use of few lights or even just a single light. This lack of a fill light created this dark contrast which people still associate when thinking of the gangster genre.
In Sexy Beast, we see many tense scenes illuminated through the same technique. Harsh shadows are cast upon the characters’ faces which make them look intimidating and ruthless.
However, Glazer doesn’t lose the opportunity to refresh the genre and add his own personal touch to his frames. While the majority of the film is a tense standoff between Gal and Don Logan, these tense moments are equally treated as a suspenseful moment as it is a comedic moment. This is achieved almost solely by lighting.
Don Logan maintains a stern charisma throughout the entirety of his screen time. However, it’s fascinating to see how lighting and framing transforms the intimidating mobster into a small strange man.
Costuming is also a good indicator of a gangster film as traditional gangster films had their characters wear elegant suits and impose their authority through flash and bling. In Sexy Beast, our characters are almost always seen wearing linen shirts to cope with the searing Spanish sun.
While most gangster films will introduce their protagonists wearing their nicest apparel, we are forced to see Gal in his awkwardly small swimsuit.
When we first see Don Corleone, he is in his polished tuxedo for his daughter’s wedding. When we see James Cagney play a notorious mobster, we see him wear a dark suit for the majority of his work. How do we meet Gal? We see his orange skin contrast his mustard speedo. Not only does this make our characters comedically less intimidating, it also reenforces our setting as a character itself.
Gangster films would usually take place in the middle of flourishing metropolis’ or perhaps a town recovering from the depression. There’s something about seeing an unlawful conversation happen in the middle of a busy restaurant, nightclub or office. Glazer uses this convention as an opportunity for change. Gal isn’t approached in the middle of a busy area, but instead is found in his secluded home in a desert-like countryside in a foreign country. You can’t get more secluded than that.
The setting is more than just the seclusion from society, it serves as a literary device to heighten the discomfort experienced in our world. Parallel to Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing (1989), the heat irritates our characters and makes a tense situation worse. We can almost feel the discomfort Gal feels when his shirt sticks to his skin. It almost serves as a metaphor as Don Logan refuses to leave Gal the same way a shirt sticks to your skin due to humidity.
It’s a stylistic choice by Glazer that characterizes our protagonists. Glazer brilliantly doesn’t stop there. Gal’s refusal of the call, in terms of the hero’s journey, seems to be what we like about him. We don’t necessarily see Gal as a gangster but instead a retired man ready to settle down after a troubled past. The audience lives through the painfully long process Don Logan has to go through to convince Gal to do the job. While the refusal of the call is usually just a portion of the hero’s journey, Gal seems to live in that moment even after he has met his mentor, allies, enemies, entered the innermost cave and combat ordeals.
The story does shift a few plot points around compared to the traditional structure of the hero’s journey but it also embraces them in a completely new way. The innermost cave isn’t a place or event but rather a person himself, Don Logan. As Gal already has his wife and friends serving as allies, his true mentor is an apparition rather than a wise veteran.
It’s almost as if his mentor is himself rather than someone else telling him whether or not to complete the journey.
This surrealist moment isn’t something we see often in gangster films but it’s an eerie way to make this foreign world seem even more unnatural and reminds the audience that anything is possible.
While it takes a team of creative individuals to create this interesting world, Glazer pulls it all together with a fresh, modern and innovative contribution to such a revered genre. From respected men in tuxedos and urban environments, Sexy Beast transforms that into a sun-abused Brit in sizzling Spain. Our most intimidating character balances between being a ruthless madman and an awkward, uninvited guest. Above all, the reward at the end of the journey isn’t a material object like gold or jewels. It’s Gal’s freedom from hist past and his ability to finally settle down with his loving wife, pool, and unfortunate ice-pack.
