Sexy Beast
By Alistair Lawrence,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
British cult gangster flick has language, nudity, violence.

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Sexy Beast
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What's the Story?
SEXY BEAST follows retired British criminal and safe cracker Gal (Ray Winstone) whose idyllic life in Spain is disrupted when he's asked to help with a heist.
Is It Any Good?
The debut feature from Jonathan Glazer is a British gangster movie with some surreal flourishes, perhaps formed partly by the director's previous work on high-end advertising campaigns. Further distinguishing Sexy Beast as a crime caper with a difference are two familiar faces cast against type. Winstone stars as Gal, a career criminal whose temper and physique have both softened with retirement. Meanwhile Ben Kingsley attacks his supporting role with the same frothing intensity that his wildcard Don launches himself at anyone and anything that gets in his way.
The sun-baked setting and performances mean that Sexy Beast is always watchable. But Glazer's style and the actors' talents can't hide the fact that its plot is slim and distractingly vague in places, with the movie's supporting cast only ever hovering at the periphery of its shots and story. The final 30 minutes in particular loses momentum, despite boasting a heist scene that brims with disorientating energy. Very much like its antihero, this is a movie that occasionally gets caught between two worlds. But it does so with such swagger that it's hard to begrudge its wicked ways.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the strong language in Sexy Beast. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?
Discuss the use of violence. How did it make you feel? What did the movie have to say about violence? Did it glorify it?
What were the motivations of the characters? Were any of them likable? Why, or why not?
How was sex and nudity portrayed in the movie? Was it affectionate/sensitively done? Why does that matter? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.
Did the movie remind you of any others you might have seen? What is the appeal of gangster films like this?
Movie Details
- In theaters: July 13, 2001
- On DVD or streaming: September 11, 2007
- Cast: Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Amanda Redman
- Director: Jonathan Glazer
- Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
- Genre: Drama
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: pervasive language, strong violence and some sexuality
- Last updated: December 9, 2022
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