Brighton Rock

Screenwriter (The American, 28 Weeks Later) Rowan Joffe (yep, son of Roland) adds the director’s string to his bow with Brighton Rock, a new version of Graeme Greens novel. An interesting first choice of feature for Joffe. On the one hand you have the already well respected source novel to go on, but on the other hand you’ll be up against the much loved Richard Attenborough version from 1948. It won’t come as a surprise to you to hear that Joffe’s version is inferior to Dickie’s, but it’s still a decent stab (for those who know their Brighton Rock, I pardon the pun there). In this version, the action is set in the 1960’s as we follow Pinkie (Sam Riley), a teenager in a small gang and his interactions, sometimes violent, with his own gang and other gangs in the Sussex Town. Hardly the best lifestyle is soon confused further when Pinkie has to woo Rose (Andrea Riseborough) in order to help the gang avoid detection from the police. One problem the film has had is the comparisons with the 1930’s version. For me, they are both so far apart (87 years) and so different in style and tone that Joffe’s version deserves be rated on its own two legs. Riley is the main focal point of the film and despite some woodenness at times, he does come across as pretty unlikable, especially in his treatment of Rose. Rose herself is as colourless as they come and it’s hard to tell if Riseborough is purposely underplaying her or giving a bland performance herself. Either way, she is the only character in the film which will earn sympathy from the audience. Carey Mulligan was the original choice for Rose, but dropped out to do Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps instead. I can only assume she felt Rose was too one dimensional, but this is still the better film. Moving on from that, there’s plenty of British acting talent on show (Helen Mirren and John Hurt amongst them) but Joffe, also on screen writing duties, would probably been best to cut a number of characters with too many coming and going, whilst the hierarchy of the criminal underworld is unclear throughout the film. The best aspect of the film though is the fantastic portrayal of 1960’s Brighton. Superb eye for detail on the production front and less quality camera lenses than would normally be used really give the film an historic feel. It also loans the film an edge which suggest you really wouldn’t want to meet Pinkie and co under the Pier.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

Like a stick of Brighton Rock itself, this looks good, but is also a struggle to get through. Rating: 6/10