The Limey Movie Review (1999)
A crime thriller about a British ex-con seeking revenge for his daughter’s death, The Limey is visually striking and tightly-paced, highlighting a bold performance by Terence Stamp.
When I think of Terence Stamp, I think of him as Bernadette in Priscilla Queen of The Desert. I know that he is Superman’s General Zod as well, and I can clearly see him spinning away in that mirror, but Bernadette… I love her. She commands her space and is such a force in that film that I didn’t know if I could ever think of Stamp anywhere else, but, man, he is fantastic in this movie.
The Limey is about English career criminal Wilson, a man who has just been released from prison and has arrived in the United States in response to a letter he received from his daughter’s friend, Eduardo. Eduardo has an idea of who was involved in Jenny’s death, and Wilson goes around Los Angeles, collecting information about how to get in touch with rich music producer Terry Valentine.
There is a lot to like about this thriller, starting with the stylistic choices. The Limey is shot nonlinearly, so events, conversations, and visuals often unfold out of order. Sometimes you will be watching two characters sitting together, and the audio of a conversation between them will be playing, but they won’t be speaking. It slowly becomes clear that what you are experiencing is more fragmented than laid out for you to easily follow, and it’s a very exciting effect. I loved it.
The story feels like a simple one (father wants revenge for his daughter and goes after the guy who did it), but Steven Soderbergh keeps the experience alive with his directorial choices, and between each vignette, you happily buy into whatever is going to happen next.
Terence Stamp is incredible as Wilson, as is Luis Guzmán as Eduardo. Their dynamic reminded me of the relationship between Edmond Dantès and Jacopo in The Count Of Monte Cristo, not just because Guzmán played Jacopo in the film, but because Wilson is so dominant that Eduardo falls into an assistant role. Wilson is not a man you want to be on the wrong side of, and it struck me that Eduardo would likely hold his own in other company, just not with this man.
There are a few things that nagged at me while watching, but none of them are serious flaws. First, there is a dynamic between a young woman and Terry Valentine that suggests they are intimately involved, but he comments on his involvement in naming her. I could never kick the ick that I got in that moment. Second, why would anyone be taking a bath during a raging party at your house? Third, the sections of the film involving Peter Fonda feel very dated (70s? Very early 80s?), although this was released in 1999. Even Fonda’s performance feels uneven.
Overall, though, and mostly due to Soderbergh and Stamp’s choices, The Limey is an exciting film with flair. It is stripped down so that you never get emotionally involved, but that isn’t the point of a movie like this, and you’ll see what I mean when you watch it.
Runtime: 89 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: R
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Available: Free on Prime Video and Tubi or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
