Overview
A retired gangster's peaceful life in Spain is shattered by a violent figure from his past, forcing him into one last heist.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- tense
- sardonic
- surreal
- crime movie night
- dark comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as an unusually character-focused British gangster thriller elevated by its sharply written script and especially electrifying performances.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Don Logan's prolonged, abrasive negotiations make dialogue itself the film's principal instrument of intimidation.
Gal's retirement in the sunny Spanish landscape contrasts sharply with the danger and criminal obligations invading his leisure.
Gal's peaceful retirement is shattered when Don Logan compels him to return to safecracking and the criminal world.
Don Logan's childishly violent conduct and hilariously edgy presence combine absurd humor with genuine threat.
Films like Sexy Beast, and why
The Long Good Friday
shares a stylish crime-world setting, morally compromised protagonists, tense criminal negotiations, and darkly comic menace
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
shares British gangster genre conventions, volatile criminal personalities, sharp dialogue, and escalating underworld pressure
Miller's Crossing
shares a psychologically intense crime narrative, criminal loyalty tests, and a charismatic but threatening antagonist
Heat
shares a heist structure, criminal professionalism, personal betrayal, and an atmosphere of mounting paranoia
Movie Details
- Director
- Jonathan Glazer
- Release Date
- 2001-01-12
- Runtime
- 89 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (951)
Cast
- Ray Winstone
- Ben Kingsley
- Ian McShane
- Amanda Redman
- James Fox
- Cavan Kendall
- Julianne White
- Álvaro Monje
- Robert Atiko
- Nieves del Amo Oruet
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Sexy Beast about?
- A retired safecracker's sun-soaked Spanish refuge becomes a pressure cooker when a volatile former mentor drags him back into one last heist.
- What is Sexy Beast like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Sexy Beast as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Sexy Beast violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Sexy Beast as brutal.
- What did critics think of Sexy Beast?
- Critics broadly praised the film as an unusually character-focused British gangster thriller elevated by its sharply written script and especially electrifying performances.
- Which films are like Sexy Beast?
- Films with a similar feel include The Long Good Friday, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Miller's Crossing, and Heat.
- How long is Sexy Beast?
- Sexy Beast runs 89 minutes.
- Where can I watch Sexy Beast?
- In United States, Sexy Beast is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
