The Long Good Friday
Director: John Mackenzie
Year Released: 1980
Rating: 3.0
Bob Hoskins controls the London underworld but finds his livelihood threatened by terrorists who blow up his cars, bars and stab his friends. His character is a Nationalist, plain and simple, and he can be heard complaining endlessly about how shabby his beloved city has become: he seeks to renovate it, rejuvenate it, turn it back to the Paradise he believed it once was without considering what the cost may be. But Hoskins and Helen Mirren are the main reasons to watch this, and their nuanced portrayals make up for the confusing twists and turns; one scene, in particular, struck me as being quietly powerful: when Hoskins kills a friend, and goes in a rage, Mirren (his spouse) tries to calm him down by grabbing both of his hands and looking at him right in the face ... and just doing that, he settles down and everything's just a little better. It's a small moment, but those little snippets add true depth.
