Watchable Brit Crime Effort…
I admittedly haven’t seen writer/director, George Isaac’s other two better known films and based on what I’ve read, this doesn’t hold up to them anyway. All Things to All Men is a film that thinks it’s way cleverer than it actually is but at least finishes with Lenny Kravitz singing, Are You Gonna Go My Way, almost helping me decide the convoluted story just may not have been as bad as I thought it to be. While this film can’t be accused of being original, or for having a great script, it hosted a good cast displaying some solid performances, even from the support who have little screen time. This is something I do like about British films done on the cheap, as the budgets are usually spent wisely. There’s a lesson somewhere in there Hollywood.
- All Things to All Men
- Written & Directed by
George Isaac - Cast
Rufus Sewell, Toby Stephens, Gabriel Byrne - Release Date
2013 - Ed’s Grade: C+
Shot in London for an estimated $5 (£3) million, with some nice cinematography from Howard Atherton (Bad Boys) and editing by Eddie Hamilton (Kick-Ass 1+2, X-Men: First Class), which both helped carry this unremarkable film more than a little (music by the intriguingly named, Thomas Wanker. I shit you not!), All Things to All Men tells the story of crooked cop, Parker (Sewell) and Detective Sands (Terence Maynard), his long-time friend and partner, who are accompanied by trainee detective, Dixon (Leo Gregory). The trio grab a drug dealer with a bag full of narcotics who, it turns out is the son of big-time gangster, Joseph Corso (Gabriel Byrne), and they use the son to coerce Corso into setting up a sting to catch a hitman. Of course, all is not what it seems, and thanks to the twists and turns contained in the story we are kept guessing as to what will happen next and kept on our toes.
*****
While certain aspects were a bit hard to swallow, like the ease the hitman, Riley (Toby Stephens) agrees to go along with Corso, or how quickly Cutter (Julian Sands) turns-tail during a shoot-out, All Things to All Men was entertaining from start to finish. Gabriel Byrne gave the best performance with Rufus Sewell (Hotel Noir) plodding through the film in his usual unassuming manner. We also had a couple of scenes with James Frain (The Lone Ranger) and David Schofield (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End), helped to add more thespian power to All Things to All Men. Even with a convoluted storyline the film is very watchable and at only 84 minutes, you really can’t go wrong if you’re in the mood for a decent crime thriller.
Review by Ed Blackadder, Lead Entertainment Writer
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