Dom Hemingway

Movie Title--  Dom Hemingway

Release Year--  2013

Running Time--  1 Hour and 33 Minutes

Director--  Richard Shepard

Cast--  Jude Law, Richard E. Grant, Demain Bichir, Madalina Diana Ghenea, Emilia Clarke, Kerry Condon

Notorious safe cracker Dom Hemingway is back on the streets of London after 12 years in prison, looking for a change in his luck and to collect what he is owed.

Dom Hemingway (Jude Law) is released from prison after 12 years for refusing to rat out his boss.  Once he is released, he takes care of some unfinished business that has come up then meets with his old friend Dickie (Richard E. Grant).  Dickie takes Dom to see their boss, Mr. Fontaine (Demian Bichir), but once they arrive at Mr. Fontaine's villa, Dom sees Fontaine's girlfriend, Paolina (Madalina Diane Ghenea) and decides that he needs more payment for his time spent in jail.  Dom and Dickie take a private meeting with Mr. Fontaine and Dom, being very drunk, decides to tell Mr. Fontaine exactly how he feels about his current situation and that he wants to more payment than what he is going to receive and one of Dom's demands is to sleep with his girlfriend, Paolina, then he storms off to his room.  Dickie advises Dom to apologize and at dinner Dom does.  Mr. Fontaine then takes Dom off in private and rewards him with 750,000 pounds but does not allow Dom to sleep with his girlfriend.

After drinking and partying that evening, they are involved in an accident.  Three out of the six occupants of the car dies but Dom resuscitates Melody (Kerry Condon), one of the passengers of the car, who tells him good luck with come his way when he needs it most.  In doing so, he is too late to stop Paolina from returning to the villa and stealing his money.  Dom then returns to London, where he hopes to reconnect with his daughter Evelyn (Emilia Clarke).  After a disastrous homecoming, Dom then has to make his own luck; whether or not it is good or bad is up to him.

This is a very British film.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a good British film, from the classics to what is current but this film is a strange one.  It is basically a story about a dumb criminal who has lived by an ethics code when it is somewhat clear that others he associates with haven't.  At times the film is laugh out loud funny but at others, it is just kind of strange.  There were a few parts that I found myself having trouble watching just because it seemed like I momentarily lost interest.  I will warn you and tell you that this film is very vulgar, so probably not a good film to watch while there are children around.

Jude Law does a good job at portraying down on his luck Dom while Richard E. Grant is excellent, as always, as his comic relief.  I just have to say that I adore Richard E. Grant, if you have never heard of him I suggest looking him up, I think that he is just one of those actors that you have to watch in order to see the magic he makes; he has a very sarcastic, dry wit to him and that is perhaps why I like him so much.  

I say that if you are a fan of British comedies, this is an alright one to sit down and watch.  If you are new to British comedies, I would not recommend this one as your first.  Choose wisely, this is one you will either love or hate and Don't Forget the Popcorn!