Battlemouth

How do you deal with grief? That is the theme of the film 44 Inch Chest. The movie is a detailed examination of one man’s journey through the loss of his marriage. Colin Diamond (Winstone) is an old-fashioned kind of guy–he is a gangster, but he still loves his family and his wife above all else. The film begins when Colin’s wife Liz confesses to cheating on him. Adding insult to injury, she says she doesn’t even love him anymore. Colin quickly falls apart, becomes an emotional wreck, and turns to his closest mates for support. With the help of his gangster friends, Colin kidnaps the man who ruined his marriage and locks him in an abandoned warehouse. The rest of the movie follows Colin and his friends as they discuss how to deal with the man who has ruined Colin’s life.

If you suspect this film is your standard-fare gangster film, do yourself a favor and skip it. This film more closely resembles films like Glengarry Glen Ross or 12 Angry Men. The story is told as a one -room character study; this is why the film really shines in my opinion. As far as the cast goes, you don’t get much better than the line up in this film. Ian McShane plays a slick and charming, gay gangster. Tom Wilkinson plays a tough guy who still lives with his mother, the legendary John Hurt plays an old school bad ass named Peanut, and on top of this already stacked cast, Ray Winstone’s performance literally took my breath away. Watching him descend into the emotional depths and pour his soul out for almost the entire film was spectacular to watch. For a man who mostly has played tough guy roles, this one is a great example of his versatility. The script for the film is equally outstanding. Rarely can films capture characters so well. You really feel like you are sitting in the room agonizing with Colin and his friends. The film also is a great example of how to effectively use music in a film. The perfect blend of poigniant songs and perfectly timed score really adds a lot to the narrative. Stylistically this one is over the top at times, which adds a lot to the anguish that Winstone brings to the screen. The ending is sadly something I think will turn a lot of people on this amazing piece of work. I however thought it was flawlessly executed.

With an odd title, that I can only assume has something to do with male ego and a mention of gangsters I fear this film may miss it’s target audience. I don’t often find myself able to watch a film with out breaking it down constantly. This film however, I made sure I had a completely clear mind. I watched in awe as I saw these actors really become the characters on the screen. If it wasn’t too late, I would have to say Ray Winstone has to be my pick for best performance of the year (I haven’t seen Crazy Heart mind you). I think that for fans of writing and acting you have to see this film. Although it may be too subtle for main stream viewers, I think this film is a modern masterpiece.

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