The Long Good Friday (1980) User Reviews

Most powerful scene: ironic

[ColinBaker · 9/10 · 13 October 2009]

From a British perspective, part of the fun of watching this is seeing people who later became famous for other roles. Derek Thompson had had a minor role in Yanks, and this suggested he had a bright career in films, but he ended up playing nurse Charlie Fairhead in Casualty, and has now played that part for 23 years! Gillian Taylforth became better known in EastEnders, and Paul Barber was in Only Fools and Horses, but returned to the big screen in the Full Monty.

Some of the violence in The Long Good Friday is very graphic; the scene in which Harold (Bob Hoskins) ends up glassing his sidekick Jeff (Derek Thompson) after the latter had betrayed him is VERY nasty.

Helen Mirren is now an international star. Here she is supposedly playing a gangster's moll, but where she doesn't simmer with sexuality ("I want to lick every inch of you", says Derek Thompson in an unguarded moment in a lift), she shows that she has as much control over Harold (Bob Hoskins) as he has over everybody else, never more so than in the immediate aftermath of the glassing scene. It is a tour de force in a supposedly supporting role.

But this film undoubtedly belongs to Bob Hoskins. Despite the violence, it is the film's climax which is the most memorable and chilling scene. Hoskins is held at gunpoint by a silent and menacing IRA gunman played by a young Pierce Brosnan. This takes place in a car driven by another IRA hit-man. The camera focuses in close up on the face of Bob Hoskins for over a minute, while the very catchy theme music plays, and while Hoskins, without a word of dialogue, goes through a whole raft of emotions, showing a man struggling to accept that he is finished, but is finally resigned to his fate. This is a magnificent performance.

A long, damn good film.

[johnnyboyz · 9/10 · 20 September 2006]

When thinking back over the decades of British gangtser films, The Long Good Friday stands out in memory. This is due to the way the story is executed and the way a certain degree of suspense is held throughout.

Everything starts off well in this film. We're shown a rather perplexing, confusing but well shot sequence involving several people and a couple of deaths over what seems to be a case of money. We hear nothing of these events until much later in the film, keeping it at the back of our minds and creating a certain shock element when we eventually realise everything that's come together.

After the dramatic introduction, everything is toned down slightly as Harold Shand (Hoskins), the man of the film, is introduced to a rather catchy theme tune. His world is also introduced to us through very good use of London iconography as we realise he's rich, got plenty of friends and also has a good looking girl; with his biggest problem seeming to be what nationality to make the chef for his next get-together. With so many faces being introduced and so much pleasurable interaction, the events that follow fuelled by great hate for Harold are rather shocking as they are surprising and that's what really kicks this film off on a good path.

What's also good about the film as well as fascinating is that it takes a certain detective route. So many crime and gangster films often use a revenge plot or a hierarchy technique whereas this one, the enemy is unknown and the hierarchy has already been climbed. He's on his own with two or three of his most trusted accomplices attempting to discover what the hell's going on and this is very interesting as we find out what they find out, and at the same time as they do creating a nice, steady, plodding feeling of consistency.

As the battles and discoveries occur whilst the film wears on, numerous desperate situations are dragged out in a gritty and entertaining way such as Harold's relationship with his girl that is starting to fall apart amongst the terror and confusion, the personal battle with the American businessmen who foil Harold on several occasions and the question marks that arise over loyalties within his own organisation, as well as disagreements with his crooked policeman colleague and rival gangs. Not only are these scenes and plot points gripping; amusing dialogue and good one-liners from Harold himself help move them along.

As the film reaches its final third and Harold gets closer to the truth, the film reminded me of the original 'Get Carter' when Jack realises who's behind it all. Our anti-hero gets more and more angry and each scene gets more and more intense, culminating in pure chaos at a race car track and a monologue of insults at the American's who, up to this point, have had Harold and his outfit rolling over for them.

With strong acting performances all round and an impressive, well paced plot; The Long Good Friday has managed to sneak into my personal favourites list and definitely withstands the test of time.

a classic that invites re-viewing

[martin-217 · 8/10 · 28 November 2006]

There are so many things to appreciate in this movie. First and foremost, Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren give outstanding performances as the First Couple of London's underworld. He, with the Cockney-made-good aspirations for status and the "class" he can never attain, epitomizes the hands-on manager overtaken by larger events. She, the cool-headed savvy- tough-and-sexy moll, is almost on top of things enough to redeem the situation but not quite. The key elements of the underworld ruling coalition-- dirty councilor and policeman, lieutenants of varying backgrounds both tough and educated-- make you believe in how this man has achieved peace through strength.

The film's plot is Byzantine whodunit, with gangland-style violence as an accent piece that seems downright tame in the age of "Pulp Fiction". The real hidden star, though, is late-70's London-- oh so run-down and yet full of the potential that drives Harold's ambitions. The views from boating on the Thames are unrecognizable to those who have only seen modern London--- the sole landmarks in common are Tower Bridge and the Savoy hotel. The towers of the City and modern Docklands are just a twinkle in dreamers' eyes.

Overall TLGF is a modern tragedy in the true land-of-Shakespeare tradition, somewhere between Macbeth and Hamlet and King Lear: ambition, betrayal, and the sweep of history interact richly without being heavy-handed in symbolism or over-artiness. This is a satisfying and complex film that invites re-viewing and reflection.

Darn Near Flawless

[dougdoepke · 28 August 2011]

Aces all around. Hoskins is a barrel-chested dynamo and effective successor to Cagney and Robinson. But where 30's gangsters wanted to take over the town, their 80's counterpart wants to go international like any other "corporation". Trouble is that going international requires as much political savvy as it does financial— something Harold (Hoskins) just doesn't understand.

That wordlessly disjointed opening sequence is somewhat off-putting. Yet, thanks to a masterfully constructed screenplay. the threads connect up in the end. Still, I was really blind-sided by the narrative's link to the puzzle as to who is sabotaging Harold's big plans and, just as importantly, why. At the same time, I also like the way the lovely Victoria (Mirren) is turned into more than just a silken mistress. She's really the power behind Harold's throne, as the sudden slapping sequence shows.

There are so many memorable scenes, starting with the slaughter-house. It's like nothing I've seen; at the same time, I hope the topsy-turvy actors got paid double. And what about that fancy power dinner that Victoria sweats to finesse. It's a subtle masterpiece of suppressed emotion that keeps threatening to disrupt the big plans. Then too, you can't help wondering what the little Napoleon is thinking during those wordless final minutes of run time. That too is like nothing I've seen and was someone's special inspiration. Iin my little book, the movie's staging, writing and acting are darn near flawless. And just as importantly, are never predictable.

And here I thought great gangster films were America's exclusive preserve. But Hoskins and the movie belong up there with the best of our own. I guess I have to re-calibrate.

It's not about safety, it's about honour.

[hitchcockthelegend · 9/10 · 25 October 2008]

It's the early 1980s, it's Good Friday, and Harold Shand is waiting to entertain some powerful American muscle. He hopes to get them to help fund his dockside development, but someone is murdering his men, and although Harold has a good idea who is responsible, he isn't quite prepared for the events that follow.

Plot wise, The Long Good Friday is a lesson in under taxing the audience, simplicity in structure and forgoing thunder in the name of telling a solid story. The Long Good Friday is a British gangster picture that owes more to the Paul Muni and Edward G Robinson pictures from the golden age than something like "The Godfather". Where the characters are men of the street, working class villains who literally could be living around the corner from us, their respective antics giving them a reputation as infamous stars to be feared - and grudgingly admired.

What many modern day film lovers may not be aware of is that "The Long Good Friday" had its release delayed, held back a year as Margaret Thatcher and her merry men frothed at the mouth due to the film's portrayal of the Irish Rebublican Army. This was at a time when the Irish troubles were reaching new and terrifying heights, and here in this film, the government sensed a fall out that could have sent wrong message shock waves across the British Isles. This is one of the chief reasons that lifts the pic high above many of its contemporaries, it may be a simple story, but it's not merely about two gangs striving for power on one manor!.

Barrie Keeffe's script positively bristles with a hard bastard edge, some of the set pieces play out as true Brirtish greats, once viewed they are not to be forgotten. Some of the dialogue has an air of timeless bravado about it, delivered with cockney brashness from Bob Hoskins' Harold Shand. Hoskins is on fire, seemingly revelling in the role and fusing menace with a genuine sense of earthiness, one moment Harold is the bloke you want to have a pint of beer with, the next he's one step from rage induced retribution. Helen Mirren is fabulous as Harold's wife, Victoria, loyal and unerringly calm in the face of the madness unfolding, while the supporting cast are also highly effective, with a cameo from Pierce Brosnan that is icy cold in making a point.

Perhaps now it feels like it's only of its time, and it may well be that it's only British viewers of a certain age that can readily embrace the all encompassing thread of gangland London at risk from insurgents? But I will be damned should I ever choose to love this film less with each passing year, for to me it only just stops shy of being a British masterpiece, bristling with realism at a troubled time, and cheesing off Margaret Thatcher in the process, hell it works for me, always. 9/10

Top of the list

[penguini-2 · 10/10 · 7 January 2007]

"The Long Good Friday" was given a limited release in the U.S. but fortunately it opened in Los Angeles. Based on a very short synopsis in the L.A. Times, my wife made the 30-mile drive from Pasadena to Santa Monica and were rewarded with the best crime drama I've ever seen. This film is the perfect coming-together of writing, directing and acting to produce a cinematic gem. Nothing overblown and grandiose like "The Godfather" but a tight story that never bogs down, filled with real characters that stand out from the screen. We were introduced to Bob Hoskins and Helen Mirren and both of them have since provided us with some great performances on both large and small screens. I would definitely take this one to the proverbial desert island.

Gritty but somewhat confusing

[AlsExGal · 6/10 · 24 December 2021]

I was very confused by what was going on for the first fifteen minutes to the point where I almost gave up watching it. Fifteen more minutes and I realize I am supposed to be confused because British gangster going legit Harold (Bob Hoskins) is confused too. Someone is blowing up his establishments and killing his henchmen and he has no idea who or why. And they couldn't have picked a worse time because he has a couple of Americans in town he wants to partner with as he enlarges the legitimate part of his business. So he has to play detective his way - very rough - while the old violent gangster in him begins to reemerge.

When I finally get to the part where the tie in between Harold's people and the IRA comes in, my reaction was - WHO???. There have been so many supporting players at that point I didn't even remember who the characters mentioned were. And I could have forgiven all of that because this film does a great job of establishing suspense and being gritty. But what I just cannot buy is that there was anybody in Britain in the late 70s who did not know what the IRA was capable of and believed that as an individual they could defeat these guys when the British army had been trying for decades - actually centuries - and could not manage it. In the timeless words of Clint Eastwood, a man's got to know his limitations.

I'd recommend it for Hoskins' and Mirren's acting and for a very young Pierce Brosnan in an almost mute part that visually ties beginning and end together quite well.

One of the best British gangster films

[harrysullivan153 · 9/10 · 29 January 2009]

I am often a bit wary of British Gangster films I have to admit. Whilst I genuinely think people in this country often undervalue the wealth of film directing and acting talent we have produced I do often feel that in recent years "gritty" British films have almost hit self parody and are full of mockney clichés. However over the years there have been some truly brilliant British gangster films (this, get carter and sexy beast are my favourites) and as much as I worship Scorsese etc it is sometimes refreshing to watch something closer to home. This film is one of the best portrayals I have ever seen of a mans world falling apart around him. Bob Hoskins plays an old school East End Villain at the point where his long built up empire is collapsing and his stubborn refusal to accept this leads to ever more desperate and violent attempts to stem the inevitable which perfectly portrayed making this a must see for anybody who is a fan of gritty, powerful and sometimes violent gangster films.

great Bob Hoskins

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 21 July 2015]

Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) is a successful London gangster aspiring to be a legitimate owner of the abandoned Docklands for a casino and other developments with American mafia money. Victoria (Helen Mirren) is his smarter better half. While he sips champagne with corrupt cops and American mobster Charlie, IRA hit-man (Pierce Brosnan) is killing his right hand man. His other guy Eric is blown up in a car bomb outside of church on Good Friday. Harold tries to uncover the cause and finds that a minor deal unknown to him connected to IRA had gone terribly wrong. The IRA holds Harold personally responsible.

This is a great staring performance from Bob Hoskins. He infuses this movie with great energy. Without him, the movie does struggle a little. The plot doesn't have much tension. It also has a great young Pierce Brosnan prominently as a nameless IRA hit-man.

Outstanding Brit flick that stays with you

[pjwarren1 · 10/10 · 18 July 2005]

The Long Good Friday was and still is a great piece of British Cinema. After watching the film after a good many years it still holds the power to shock, amuse and thrill.

Bob Hoskins pulled off a performance comparable to James Cagney's tour de force in 'White Heat' as the tough London gangster whose empire starts to tumble, as he's trying to seal a massive development deal with the aid of the US Mafia in London's Docklands.

Helen Mirren gives an impressive performance as Hoskin's love interest, who basically calls the shots in Hoskin's organisation almost as much as he does. Her cool, tough performance putting her in good stead for the 'Prime Suspect' mini series which followed in the early nineties in the UK, where she played Lynda Le Plante's tough female detective Jane Tennyson.

The usual seventies film actors who play crooks turn up in this film, as do some fine character actors, including Dave King who plays a bent copper on Hoskin's pay roll and Bryan Marshall as the crooked councillor. One of the most memorable of the support cast is Derek Thompson, who would later go on to play Charlie Fairhead in BBC's long running 'Casualty' drama, who takes the 'Introducing' credit.

Also, look out for the actor who played 'Denzel' in Only fools and Horses, and a mute role for Pierce Brosnan before he went to the States to play Remington Steele.

A fine film, thats quick in pace, and excellently directed by John McKenzie, who will probably be always most remembered for this film.

Strangely contemporary

[paul2001sw-1 · 6/10 · 11 September 2007]

This classic London-set gangster film may be almost thirty years old but some its themes feel very contemporary: the development of the East End, the prospect of a future Olympics, and the shadow of a terrorist threat. Its greatest strength is its carefully selective use of scenes of extreme violence, which make for effectively discomfiting viewing precisely because they do not occupy the whole of the film. But cheeky-chappie Bob Hoskins struggles to convey the impression of a man feared by others, and the sophistication of the portrayal of the criminal underworld seems a bit lacking: if you're a fan of 'The Wire', with its hyper-real portrayal of gang-lords in Baltimore, you might find it hard to completely believe in the world shown here. What is interesting is inadvertent: the contrast between the Britain of 1979 and that of today. A 21st century remake would be an interesting idea.

The 1980s begins with a bang

[ed_zeppelin · 10/10 · 11 August 2007]

WARNING - THIS REVIEW DISCUSSES THE ENDING OF THE FILM AT LENGTH.

Portraying Britain at the dawn of Thatcherism, The Long Good Friday presents its central character and itself like a spinning coin, looking towards the future but always about to slip back into the past, about to go one way or the other. Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) tells nostalgic and emotional stories about his National Service (which had been abolished for almost two decades when this film was made) and how he began his career as a street urchin An hour earlier, he had been proclaiming his glorious vision of 1980s Britain while – in a rather unsubtle piece of direction – framed by Tower Bridge. This world of opposites is expressed most clearly in Francis Monkman's zesty score, blending traditional classical instruments with Moroder-style synth-pop. It is ultimately hubris, the kind of overconfidence normally associated with '80s excess, that delivers Shand helplessly into the maw of a truly monstrous enemy that had existed for decades.

Not as complex as I've heard it made out (admittedly the DVD age means I can zip straight to the exposition scenes without effort, which helps), The Long Good Friday is still a breathtakingly audacious film and one that at times runs a real risk of alienating its audience while still retaining mass appeal. It blends together elements of various crime subgenres: it takes the criminal-turns-detective idea from Get Carter and marries it to the sickly, sleazy decadence that Scarface would portray so unflinchingly three years later, while the outlandish, ostentatious tactics Shand employs to intimidate his enemies come straight from The Godfather. Harold Shand is essentially a Tony Montana-style character: someone not very bright who has gone from poor to rich very quickly and doesn't know what to do with his loot, who thinks that money somehow equals invincibility. As his enemies continue to undermine his modern-man fantasy (he refers to himself as a businessman, not a criminal) he becomes steadily more delusional to the point where he eventually expresses an intent to wipe out the entire IRA. This is a self-evidently absurd statement that Shand takes totally seriously, immediately before slashing his most trusted lieutenant's jugular with a broken bottle, as Hoskins's incandescent performance charts the erosion of the character's veneer of sophistication. As the first two members of his gang are assassinated he asks himself who could make him and his associates a target: a legitimate question in the circumstances, but the emotional burst with which Hoskins delivers the sentiment suggests less a rational question and more a little child screaming that "IT'S NOT FAIR!".

Now, the IRA. Before September 11 2001 they were synonymous with terrorism in the UK and their omnipresent threat throughout the 1970s led to London becoming one of the most CCTV-heavy cities in the world. No wonder the film's original backers got cold feet, since while it doesn't in any way romanticise them it does portray them as the very essence of power. Against them Shand – no small fry in his own right – is nothing at all and even his ice-cold mistress (Helen Mirren) cracks under the threat against her despite being able to effortlessly parry the advances of Shand's lecherous thugs. But here's the twist: the whole thing's totally pointless.

This is what makes the film so daring. Virtually the entire film concerns the quest for Hichcock's MacGuffin, which in this case is defined by its absence: it is the answer to the mystery itself. The IRA are fingered fairly quickly, but the question is why. Keeping this question unanswered for so long rather than giving hints occasionally requires a predictably huge scene of exposition, which is totally subverted when it turns out that Shand hasn't actually done anything at all. The IRA mistakenly believe he is responsible for the murder of some of their agents and once fanatics get an idea in their heads that idea stays there. I can't think of another film that has its central premise turn to fairy-dust so spectacularly – not even The Maltese Falcon. This I think is where it risks losing its audience, because everything turns out to be so pointless. Is that dramatically satisfying? In the event yes, because rather than going into hiding (like Michael Corleone in the first Godfather) Shand's feathers get ruffled even more and, the irony apparently lost on him, he kills two IRA agents for real and is tracked down and captured within minutes. As he's driven away, almost certainly to his death, we get an extended close-up of Hoskins's face. Among the despair and panic, there's the occasional flicker of an impression that he's finally got the joke.

With complex characters, great writing, scintillating performances and a brave, uncompromising attitude to storytelling conventions, The Long Good Friday is an essential piece of British cinema.

Entertaining, never boring, well acted albeit just a tad confusing

[spencer-w-hensley · 7/10 · 4 August 2021]

Having enjoyed Bob Hoskins in his Oscar nominated performance in Mona Lisa I was recommended this film by another film fanatic friend as one of Hoskins best.

I did enjoy it and was never bored, the pacing is just right and it never slows down or drags. Hoskins again is excellent as always as is Helen Mirren as his girlfriend.

My only complaint about the film is that parts of it get very confusing. I watched with subtitles to follow along and understand but parts of it do get very convoluted and at times you ask yourself what is going on?

If the plot had been a little less confusing I probably would have given this a 9 but the confusion leaves this a very good but marred film.

If you like the actors I do recommend it. Perhaps a second viewing will be necessary for the plot to make more sense.

An important movie to see - but it does not live up to the hype

[unnatural_habitat · 5/10 · 18 November 2008]

The Long Good Friday, considered one of the best British gangster flicks, takes the classic story of hubristic downfall and sets it in late-seventies London. Bob Hoskins plays Harold Shand, a gangland kingpin trying to "go legit" by investing in some shorefront property which will one day host the Olympics. After a trip across the Atlantic to meet with his American gangster counterparts, he brings them back to East London where he hopes to convince them to invest with him in the shorefront property.

That's when things go wrong: his henchmen start dying and his local haunts get blown up, raising doubt in the Americans about the security of their potential investment. Harold Shand, in an interesting twist, turns from gangster to detective, and ruthlessly investigates all his known associates. Some unforgettable ultra-violence ensues, as he hangs his suspects on meat hooks, stabs his right-hand man in the throat with a broken Scotch bottle, and eventually discovers that it's all been a misunderstanding. But it's too late, and he's in over his head, against the law and against none other than the IRA. Drunk on power and a thirst for revenge, Harold Shand's arrogance finally proves to be his Achilles heel.

What's not to like about a gangster flick with a plot like this? It's also got a classic moll played by Helen Mirren, and a host of other actors who would later go on to become stars in their own right, most notably Pierce Brosnan in a non-speaking role as an IRA hit-man. But the problem with The Long Good Friday is that it completely lacks style.

You can fault modern gangster movies for gratuitous stylized flourishes – most notably Ritchie's overwrought attempts – but here you have a movie that is completely lacking in any style at all. The lighting, the camera-work, and most annoyingly, an atrocious eighties synthesizer soundtrack, seem like they came straight out of an uninspired television movie. What saves The Long Good Friday are two things: Bob Hoskins' excellent incarnation of a pugnacious and racist gangster boss, saving every scene he is in, no matter how blandly directed. The other thing that saves this movie has to do with a fortuitous premonition.

This was made at the very beginning of the eighties when Margaret Thatcher came into power, ushering in, along with Reagan, the philosophy of unfettered free market liberalism. Harold Shand repeatedly refers to his gang as "The Corporation", and it's easy to see him as one step removed from a ruthless CEO in a legitimate corporation. Add to this the specter of terrorism, and you have a movie which resonates with anybody witnessing the 21st century. This universal quality, and some stand-out scenes make this a must-see gangster movie; but, in terms of quality film-making, it is nowhere near the best of the genre.

Any gangster movie will inevitably be compared to classics like Mean Streets and The Godfather, two classics from early 70s American cinema. Or perhaps British contenders from around the same time like Get Carter (which has a great soundtrack, by the way). The Long Good Friday can't hold a blowtorch to any of these. Even in terms of trashy appeal, DePalma's Scarface trounces The Long Good Friday. I could go on for days trying to pinpoint the exact point at which trashiness becomes aesthetically appealing, but I wouldn't be able to prove anything. It's just an intuition I have, which doesn't really have any logic to back it up. I can just say that close to 30 years after this movie was made, it looks and feels dated — but it's still worth a watch, if not for Bob Hoskins' performance, than for what it portends.

Going out like a raspberry ripple....

[FlashCallahan · 9/10 · 1 March 2015]

Harold Shand, is a study in contradictions - violent, feared but also self-conscious and insecure.

As Harold is about to close a major deal, a spate of bombing attacks bring negotiations to an abrupt halt.

He must find out who would dare attack criminal London 's most powerful man. Or has somebody already taken his place?

It's the study of someone who is facing ruin in a short time, from being one of the most fearsome, powerful 'mob' bosses in London, to being one of the most powerless, fearful person at once.

But it's also a big finger to the government at the time of the films release, and the greed here could be a reflection of the greed of politicians, and other powerful influences at the time......anybody will do anything to line their pockets......

Hoskins makes a star turn here as Shand, powerful, happy, and confident when we are first introduced, but as the film and the narrative progresses, we learn it's not him who has the power or the influence, it's his wife, the one who is the foundation and the brains of the outfit.

But Harold has the final say, or so he thinks, as his wife does influence him on occasion, and keeps everything smooth. And it's to the film makers and Mirrens credit for not making Mrs Shand a one dimensional moll, she is the most fleshed out character in the film.

As Harold realises that he is losing the battle,the film becomes more quickly paced, as if the editing is becoming more frequent, the more Harold becomes vulnerable.

It's a tent pole in British cinema, showing a grittier, seedier side to us Brits, and we love it.

Excellent gangster film

[preppy-3 · 10/10 · 13 March 2004]

A British ganglord (Bob Hoskins) finds his empire crumbling after 10 years of peace...and just as he's about to make a very lucarative deal with the U.S. Mafia. Bombs go off in his businesses, friends and members of the gang are brutally killed...who is doing it, and why?

Great British film...completely ignored here when it was released in 1980. The British accents ARE hard to follow at times but I was able to keep up with the plot. Also this film is not for everybody--there are some pretty frequent bursts of graphic violence--VERY graphic! I pride myself on being able to sit through a lot but these scenes even had me cringing! Still, it well worth catching--it has a very intricate script with good dialogue. And all the acting is great. Hoskins is just perfect in the lead--you see the confusion, pain, fear and anger in him as his world starts to crumble apart. Also Helen Mirren is excellent as his mistress. Calm, sexy, controlled and VERY intelligent--she's just great. And the final shot of the eyes is chilling. Great electronic music score too. And it's fun to see Pierce Brosnan so young (28) and sexy in an early role.

A really great gangster film which deserves to be rediscovered. My one complaint (and this is minor) is that it goes on a bit too long--it could have been tightened a little. Still, a great film. A must see for crime film fans.

CLASS!!!

[darth_sidious · 21 November 2001]

What can I say? 2 hours of class! This is a film which pretty much tells it how it is. The gangster world is not glamour, it's not a world we should dream about being in.

This film is gritty and realistic, it's one of the best pictures ever to be released from the U.K.

Bob Hoskins is in terrific form here, so damn perfect. Helen Mirren is stunning, great actress and rather eye-catching!!!

Pierce Brosnan is hardly in the picture, he was unknown at the time. There are a few faces which you'll recognise, most of them appeared in famous British Television dramas!

The film setting is gritty and shows the real London underworld in the early Thatcher years.

The direction is confident as is the script, and by the end you'll realise that they had guts! The film score is wonderful, it's always in my head.

This film is class!

Hoskins: the original Sexy Beast

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 14 October 2007]

A tour-de-force from Bob Hoskins playing a tough crime boss in London's East End. Living high on success while fancying himself a political entrepreneur, he's about to close a lucrative partnership deal with the Yanks when the Irish Republican Army, bent on revenge, begins eliminating operatives from his "organization", undermining his reputation. Whether prudishly turning up his nose at the unsavory aspects of London's poor neighborhoods or shamefacedly trying to cover up this embarrassing attack on his solid standing within the community, Hoskins never misses a beat and is wonderful to watch. His character, caught unawares when the violence starts, can't figure out who would do this to him (it isn't so much the 'why?' that has him riled up, it's the 'who?'). Unquestionably the finest movie produced by Britain's Handmade Films, with some arty pretensions that aren't too distracting and a brisk pace supplied by director John Mackenzie. Intriguing supporting characters, fine location shooting and electronic scoring (by Francis Monkman, whose repetitive themes are initially off-putting). Funny, scary, gripping and haunting. *** from ****

1970's Gangsters - London style.

[jgcole · 8/10 · 25 January 2011]

This film opens with several disjointed scenes that leaves the viewer a little breathless and confused: A chauffeur murdered in his car, two men counting cash in a suitcase who are subsequently murdered, a man being knifed in a swimming club and a car bomb exploding outside of a church. We are able to catch up as the story slowly reveals itself but this one does require some viewer participation. While a very intelligent and well scripted film, the action is intense, the body count high and the violence more graphic than is usual for a British film of its era.

The central character in this crime drama is Harold Shand, a highly successful East End gangster who has just returned to London after a business trip to the U.S. Upon his return he finds his mob under attack, several of his employees killed and his organization the target of an unknown foe. Meanwhile he's trying to put together a semi-legit real estate deal, with American Mafia participation. Harold has to keep his American friends from getting nervous with an all out war going on and get to the bottom of whatever has gone wrong while he was away.

Harold is aided in all of this by the classiest moll ever: Victoria. She's beautiful, educated, well-mannered and high class (she brags that she went to school with Princess Anne). Her cool as ice exterior is quit the contrast to the crude thug, Harold, who fancies himself a businessman and hobnobs with politicians and legitimate entrepreneurs but is really only a tough Cockney hood (or 'ood as they say). Victoria tries to handle the Americans while Harold and his mob round up the usual suspects in an attempt to find out where the heat is coming from. Harold is at once a ruthless brute and a lovable and vulnerable little man and by the end of the movie it's easy to find yourself falling for him. He actually has real affection for his crew and treats them as family. This may leave him exposed as, like most movie gangsters, his arrogance and belief in his own invincibility are what will bring him down.

Bob Hoskins, in his first starring role, plays Harold in a performance that conjures up images of other little big men of the silver screen like Edward G. Robinson or James Cagney in some of their great gangster roles. While not as well known as his award winning role in the under appreciated "Mona Lisa", it is the one that put Hoskins on the map. Victoria is played by Helen Mirren and it's hard to take your eye off of her in all of her scenes. Helen was a very good looking girl in her day and was already an established star (having survived her role in "Caligula"). Eddie Constantine, Europe's favorite American, plays the American mafioso and a young Pierce Brosnan, in his first movie, plays an IRA killer.

The plot is a bit complex with a lot of characters to keep track of and the almost incomprehensible Cockney accents and slang are hard to follow (subtitles are helpful for non-Brits). But the story moves along smartly, the direction is very good and the lighting and photography excellent. This film is well done from its start to its memorable conclusion and is highly recommended.

Another fine British crime film and Hoskins is the bonus

[pfgpowell-1 · 7/10 · 2 May 2014]

What with continuous development in filming technology, equipment and techniques, a film made almost 34 years ago is almost bound to suffer from comparison with modern productions, so it has to rely on it narrative strengths and its acting. Certainly, modern filmgoers might complain that the direction in The Long Good Friday is a little static, and what camera movement there is doesn't necessarily impress in itself. So that the film still stands as an intriguing, quite gripping and in parts quite funny piece is surely evidence of its quality.

In the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies British films were all too often small-scale imitations of Hollywood's work - not always, certainly, but all too often. For one thing British producers and directors simply didn't command the budgets available to their U.S. counterparts.

They were thus, rather like indy filmmakers today, obliged to rely more on their imagination and scriptwriting than simply to resort to some kind of manic car chase or violent shoot-out to achieve some kind of distinction, but with The Long Good Friday, they were beginning to hit their stride and gain ever more confidence. Certainly, the film does, in parts, look rather more threadbare than contemporary U.S. productions, but it doesn't matter anymore: the Brits had finally evolved their own style.

Central to the film in every way is (the now late) Bob Hoskins whose character, gang leader with ambitions Harold Shand, finds his well-ordered world and criminal empire unravel in just 48 hours. And in keeping with Shand's dry and ironic humour its all based on a horrible, though very tragic, misunderstanding. It's tragic because nine or ten people are murdered, sometimes quite horribly, yet the misunderstanding which sparks off the chain of events is in a macabre way almost comic. Shand himself, a man accustomed to calling all the shots and having his very whim acted on at a moment's notice, finds himself utterly helpless when he tries to find out who is trying to destroy him.

Hoskins, a true Londoner, carved a niche for himself playing this kind of London gangster, but then went on to play other, very different parts, to show what a truly versatile actor he was. And the role of Shand fits him like a glove, and his subtle performance makes this extremely violent and ruthless gang boss even oddly likable, and we catch glimpses of a quite vulnerable man underneath the hard as nails exterior.

He is aided by good performances throughout, from Helen Mirren as his upmarket squeeze who is bright enough to advise him well, to his various lieutenants, including the one who's fateful decision sets of the events which lead to Shand's downfall.

So, you won't be getting some slick piece of filmmaking with all the latest bells and whistles, but you will get a thoroughly entertaining account of one man's swift decline and fall from all-powerful gang boss to soon to be murdered gang boss, and in all if it he had not put a foot wrong. That's just one of the many delightful ironies.

awesome movie

[clfuller · 10/10 · 16 July 2004]

I love movies and this is one of my all time favorites. I think Bob Hoskins is one of the most underrated actors of all time. The movie is incredibly entertaining to watch and interestingly enough it marks the beginning of Pierce Brosnan's career (pool scene). The characters are fascinating especially Harold. It is also very interesting to observe him as his grip upon his gangster empire on brink of creating a partnership across the Atlantic slips through his fingers because of a mistake. In the final scene Bob Hoskins does an awe inspiring job of relaying all the emotion and anguish without saying a single word. Fantastic. I highly recommend that everyone see this movie.

a true British gangster classic

[rdukeesq · 7/10 · 20 August 2011]

So I just saw the classic British gangster flick "the long good Friday" from 1980, starring Bob Hoskins and a very cute Helen Mirren. So was it good, I think it was bloody terrific. I have always been a fan of British gangster flicks, I don't know if it is the accents or the propensity for violence mixed with smart dialog, but everything from "sexy beast" to one of my favorite films of all time "lock stock and two smoking barrels" I find just wonderful. So speaking of "lock" the actor who played one of my favorite characters from that film "hatchet Harry" (P.H. Moriarty) plays a great thug named "razors" in this film. This is one of those films where you are better off not knowing the plot at all, this film is a roller coaster ride and a mystery wrapped up in one violent package. All I can say is outside of the very 80's theme song (which wasn't completely horrible) I loved this film. It is stylish, has a very simple but original story line, has great acting, and has a very very satisfying ending. Any movie that I can watch where I can't predict what's coming next is generally pretty good in my opinion. In addition to all this movie has going for it look for a very young Pierce Brosnan in one of his first roles ever. He plays a critical part in this film, but does not even speak one line, which is ironic for a man known as much for his voice as he is for his looks. There is one other thing, being a bit of an anglophile, I can understand both accents and obscure references related to the British, but there were times I wish there were subtitles in this film. Look if you love gangster flicks or violent crime dramas in general, I don't see why you won't like or even love this film. Outside of no one being on cell phones and that very very 80's theme song (which actually I kind of enjoyed though I am not proud to admit this) I think this is a gangster classic that has stood the test of time. if you like concise reviews of interesting films please read my other reviews at http://raouldukeatthemovies.blogspot.com/

Bob Hoskins makes this...

[madmattuk · 9/10 · 21 May 2001]

Very much in the tradition of the American gangster films of the 30s and 40s, this movie centres around a bravura performance by the central gangster (Edward G Robinson/James Cagney then; Bob Hoskins now). Bob Hoskins raves and fights against a world that is rapidly moving beyond his control and, although he is an unpleasant, violent and vicious character, you end up caring for him.

Interesting also as a historical snapshot of a period in London's history (the redevelopment of the Docklands) now gone.

Well-made film that may take me time to fully appreciate

[blott2319-1 · 6/10 · 28 July 2020]

Any movie that features a gangster as its lead protagonist is going to have a serious uphill battle to win me over. In general, I'm not all that fond of movies about organized crime, and I have a terrible time accepting an unlikable protagonist. The Long Good Friday took a little while before I realized that Bob Hoskins was playing a small-time British gangster who wants to move up in the world. At first I was a bit confused about what was going on and what the killings had to do with him, since he just seemed like an ordinary businessman looking to close a big deal. By the time he is passing out guns and interviews a row of men hanging in a meat locker, I got the general idea. But even though he was a bad guy, I couldn't help but like him to some degree. I think part of the reason I found him endearing is the great performance by Bob Hoskins, as he seems to genuinely be a nice guy despite all the crime he gets involved in throughout the film. There's an amiable demeanor he portrays, and even when he kills someone it appears like he didn't intend to do it, and regrets his fit of rage.

However, if we're talking about great performances in The Long Good Friday, we really need to talk about Helen Mirren. She is simply marvelous in this film, and delivers the acting magic that I always admire of expressing that she knows more than what she lets on, without needing to explain it in the dialogue. But there were some elements of the plot in this film that eluded me, and I think that was my biggest detriment to enjoyment. By the end I think I put all the pieces together, but as it was happening I felt rather confused. It's one of those rare times when I wish they had included more exposition, at least to get me up to speed. Between the less-than-enjoyable subject matter, the puzzling plot progression, and the frustrating ending I didn't love The Long Good Friday. However, this is one of those rare occasions where I am almost 100% sure I will like the movie more when I watch it again. Much like The Godfather which took me a few times watching it before I fully appreciated its brilliance, I think The Long Good Friday is a great film that I'm not able to connect with on the first try. It certainly has some amazing elements that might win me over next time.

Disappointing !!!

[avik-basu1889 · 4/10 · 6 July 2015]

This film is very highly rated by many critics and also by audiences. But unfortunately, the film failed to meet the hype and my expectations from it. Along with being a gangster film, it also has some political aspects related to the IRA. It started out well in a mysterious sort of way and the plot did not get revealed at once. The director chose to gradually unfurl the story step by step. Up to the midway point of the film I was engaged, but since that point, I really lost interest due to the standard and predictable nature in which the plot continued and the ultimate denouement was not a shock at all. Bob Hoskins is one of the few bright spots of the film. He really gives a powerhouse performance portraying raw masculinity and a viscous anger which were essential traits to his character.

I wanted to like this and I did like the initial part of the film. But sadly I would have to say that this was a disappointing experience for me overall.