I love the gangster flick. I don't know why, considering they all end the same way, but God help me, they are a lot of fun. From The Roaring Twenties to The Godfather to The Untouchables to Goodfellas to Scarface and New Jack City, the gangster film is an exciting genre, a dark reflection of the American Dream. Perhaps because it is the antithesis of the Western, maybe that is the reason it resonates with Americans. In any case, despite the fact that Legend is about Britain's arguably most famous gangsters, the twin Kray brothers, it has a very familiar feel to it.
Legend is about the infamous Kray brothers who ran gambling and protection rackets in London in the mid to late 1960s. Tom Hardy plays both roles; the suave and debonair but tough Reggie Kray, and the mentally unstable, volatile and incredibly violent Ronnie Kray. It tracks their careers when they were becoming a force to be reckoned with to their downfall. In that time, the Krays worked with the American mafia to make London the Las Vegas of Europe.
First, I loved the movie in that it was fascinating subject material. Here in the states, we know all about Capone, Lansky and Bulger, but unless you're a true crime aficionado, our interest doesn't go far beyond our borders. The Krays were dynamic and charismatic, even getting a mention in Keith Richards' biography, Life. But I also had a few issues with it. The first was the film almost needed subtitles. I missed about a third of the dialogue because of the impenetrable East End accents. I know they're speaking English, but I will have to watch this movie a couple more times before I get what's going on. Another issue I had was the movie couldn't decide what it wants to be. Its tone varies wildly from being darkly comic to avant garde to straightforward gangster. So it is hard at times to know how to feel about the events we are watching. Also, for a gangster movie, there is a lot of domesticity in it. One half is Reggie's pursuit and loss of his wife. The other half is about Ron Kray's unstable, violent nature and his homosexuality. The movie drifts in and out of focus a lot.
That said, Tom Hardy is pretty amazing in his performances in the film. He probably used some prosthetic work, especially with Ron Kray, but he totally disappears into each role. It is a real tour de force. He will be robbed if he doesn't get an Oscar nod. He keeps putting out solid performances and elevates whatever material he appears in. If he doesn't get the Oscar this time, he will be one of those actors to watch in the future. He is an interesting guy and I look forward to seeing what else he can do.
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