Flawless (2007)

Director:

Michael Radford

Writer:

Edward Anderson (written by)

Release Date:

28 March 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He had a scheme. She had a motive.

Plot:

A crime/drama set in 1960 London, where a soon to retire janitor convinces a glass-ceiling constrained American executive to help him steal a handful of diamonds from their employer, the London Diamond Corporation. |

Plot Keywords:

Diamond | Janitor | 1960s | Told In Flashback | London England

Cast

Demi Moore	...	Laura Quinn
Michael Caine	...	Mr. Hobbs
Lambert Wilson	...	Finch
Nathaniel Parker	...	Oliver 'Ollie' Ashtoncroft
Shaughan Seymour	...	Eaton
Nicholas Jones	...	Jameson
David Barras	...	Fenton
Joss Ackland	...	Sir Milton Kendrick Ashtoncroft
Silas Carson	...	Reece
Derren Nesbitt	...	Sir Clifton Sinclair
Rosalind March	...	Penelope
Kevan Willis	...	Lewis
Stanley Townsend	...	Henry
Jonathan Aris	...	J.M. Boyle
Ben Righton	...	Bryan
Constantine Gregory	...	Vladimir Dmitriev
Simon Day	...	Peter Boland
David Henry	...	Sir Edmund Gottfried
Yemi Goodman Ajibade	...	Guinean Negotiatior
William Scott-Masson	...	Harold Reynolds
Natalie Dormer	...	Cassie Jay
Kate Maravan	...	Trudy
Steve Preston	...	Investigator
Claire Thill	...	Secretary
Julian Nest	...	Harold's Friend
Roya Zargar	...	Trudy´s Friend
Violaine Miller	...	Ballroom Quartet
Carole Bruere	...	Ballroom Quartet
Philippe Bruere	...	Ballroom Quartet
Jean Adolphe	...	Ballroom Quartet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Clear	...	Protester (uncredited)
Josef d'Bache-Kane	...	Street Bystander (uncredited)
Dean Gregory	...	Guard (uncredited)
Kim Hermans	...	Spectator at dograce (uncredited)
Peter Rnic	...	Honest Alfred - The Bookie (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Radford

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edward Anderson		written by

Produced by
Carola Ash	....	associate producer
Jimmy de Brabant	....	co-executive producer
Stephen Margolis	....	executive producer
Albert Martinez Martin	....	co-producer
Michael A. Pierce	....	producer
Richard Pierce	....	co-producer
Charles Salmon	....	line producer
Mark Williams	....	producer

Cinematography by
Richard Greatrex

Casting by
John Hubbard

Production Design by
Sophie Becher

Art Direction by
Chris Lowe		(senior art director)

Set Decoration by
Christina Schaffer

Makeup Department
Fabienne Adam	....	assistant makeup artist
Mariël Hoevenaars	....	makeup artist
Roseann Samuel	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Ragna Arny Larusdottir	....	production manager
Bobby Prince	....	unit manager
John Watson	....	production supervisor
Emma Zee	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jonny Benson	....	second assistant director: additional photography
Eileen Byrne	....	third assistant director trainee
Eileen Byrne	....	third assistant director: second unit
John Dodds	....	first assistant director
Ralph Eisenmann	....	second assistant director
Melanie Heseltine	....	third assistant director
Sascha Heyar	....	third assistant director: second unit
Max Jacoby	....	second unit director
Stefan Magnusson	....	third assistant director
Alessandro Palestro	....	second assistant director: second unit
Jim Probyn	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Boris Bartholomäus	....	construction manager
Benoît Bechet	....	draftsman
Alexandre Brown	....	art department coordinator
Mario Capezzali	....	carpenter
Tony Chance	....	storyboard artist
François Dickes	....	prop buyer
Annett 'Gogo' Golinski	....	draper
Edouard Pallardy	....	head painter
Sandra Phillips	....	stand-by art director: UK
Manu Poupard	....	chargehand stand-by props
Barbara Prati	....	set dresser
Stephanie Rass	....	model maker
Jill Robertson	....	assistant props buyer
Jan Rott	....	property master

Sound Department
Philip Alton	....	dialogue editor
Alex Ashcroft	....	sound assistant
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Bryan Bowen	....	supervising sound editor
Alastair Bradley	....	studio assistant: sound
Naomi Dandridge	....	studio assistant
Nick Foley	....	adr recordist
Frederic Gibert	....	sound facility coordinator
Frederic Gibert	....	sound post-production
Philippe Kohn	....	boom operator
Richard Lewis	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steven Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Marc Thill	....	cable person
Carlo Thoss	....	production sound mixer

Special Effects by
Jody Braibant	....	special effects assistant
Paul Dunn	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Kris Anderson	....	digital compositor
Paul Beard	....	visual effects line producer
Robin Beard	....	digital effects artist
Simon Carr	....	visual effects supervisor
Adam Christopher	....	digital colourist
Graham Day	....	prep artist: Men From Mars
Simon Frame	....	visual effects supervisor
Richard Graham	....	visual effects coordinator
Lionel Heath	....	compositor: Men from Mars
Tom Hocking	....	lead compositor
Matthew Jacques	....	digital artist
Rick Leach	....	digital compositor
Sherin Mahboob	....	junior digital artist
Tom Pegg	....	digital effects artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Alloway	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jim Alloway	....	director of photography: second unit
Paddy Blake	....	focus puller: "b" camera
Etienne Braun	....	still photographer
Gilbert Degrand	....	best boy
Kevin Dresse	....	electrician
John Evans	....	second assistant camera
John Gamble	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Peter Hodgson	....	video assist: UK crew
Valentina Iorio	....	grip
Oliver Krupke	....	electrician
Erwin Lanzensberger	....	steadicam operator
Nathan Mann	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Luke Myslowski	....	grip
Peter Myslowski	....	key grip
Rupert Power	....	Steadicam operator
Mike Rees	....	clapper loader: "b" camera, UK
David Morais Rocas	....	central loader
Jessica Theis	....	still photographer
Théodore Theodorides	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Claus Vieruss	....	lighting technician

Casting Department
Tom Swayne	....	casting assistant
Katja Wolf	....	casting: small parts and extras

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lee Croucher	....	stand-by costumer: UK
Magdalena Marczynska	....	wardrobe assistant
Richard Sale	....	assistant costume designer
Uli Simon	....	costume supervisor
Peggy Wurth	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Alex Anstey	....	assistant editor
Stephen Boucher	....	associate editor
Alex Panton	....	digital intermediate producer (uncredited)

Music Department
Paul Englishby	....	conductor
Robert Houston	....	assistant scoring engineer
Allan Jenkins	....	music editor
Richard Pierce	....	music consultant
Nyree Pinder	....	score coordinator

Transportation Department
Simon Jones	....	driver: director
Gaby Meyers	....	driver
Gary Sharp	....	driver: cast
Kevan Willis	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Bob Bellion	....	finance manager
Nicole Carmen-Davis	....	legal & business affairs
Marie Courtel	....	assistant location manager
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Alec Gibson	....	laboratory grader
Kash Javaid	....	unit publicist
Patricia Kretschmer	....	assistant: Jimmy de Brabant
Roberto Longobardi	....	production accountant
Claude Ludovicy	....	facilities manager
Gaby Meyers	....	location assistant
Alessandra Moresco	....	production executive
Aleks Sandrine Neumuller	....	location assistant
Clive Noakes	....	laboratory contact
Jessica Reavis	....	production assistant
Joanne Reichling	....	production coordinator
Mathieu Robinet	....	assistant to producer
Gregor Rudolph	....	location assistant
Amaury Serieye	....	location manager
Camilla Stephenson	....	location manager
Margaret A. Thompson	....	production coordinator: pre-production
Anne Van Hove	....	assistant to director
Anne Van Hove	....	script supervisor: second unit
Stéphanie Verger	....	assistant production coordinator
Jo Wallett	....	assistant production coordinator: UK
Beverly Winston	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Magnolia Pictures (presents)
• Pierce/Williams Entertainment
• Hyde Park International (presents)
• Future Films (in co-production with)
• Delux Productions (in co-production with)
• Film Fund Luxembourg (in association with)
• Blue Rider Entertainment (in association with)
• Zero Gravity Management

Distributors

• Hyde Park International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Distribution Company (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2007) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Magnolia Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Maximum Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Blue Sky Media (2007) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• HD Net (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting
• ARRI Media  camera and grip equipment provided by
• Arion Facilities  dailies telecine transfers
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film & Television Facilities  facility vehicles
• Future Post Production  sound post-production
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  additional ProTools systems supplied by
• Location Consulting & Facilities  facilities vehicles

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief strong language.

Runtime:

108 min | Germany:100 min (European Film Market)

Country:

UK | Luxembourg

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Ireland:PG | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:12A | Iceland:L | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

France

Company:

Magnolia Pictures

Trivia:

Michael Caine's grandfather had a similar job to Hobbs.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mr. Hobbs and Ms. Quinn are first visiting in her office, she is smoking a cigarette. With each shot the length of her cigarette changes from short to long back to short and then to medium.

Quotes:

Laura Quinn: How'd you do it, Mr. Hobbs? How did you get them out?
Mr. Hobbs: [ignoring her question] Do you know what the hardest substance in the world is?
Laura Quinn: [ignoring his reply] And who's really behind this?
Mr. Hobbs: A Diamond. You rub it with a cloth, it lets off a charge. You put in water, it comes up dry. It's only enemy is another diamond.

Movie Connections:

Features The League of Gentlemen (1960)

Soundtrack:

The Merry Widow Waltz

Not quite flawless, but quite a little gem

Flawless? Not Quite, but it is certainly a little heist gem. This year, with so far a fairly disappointing turnout of high calibre movies, a very narrow niche has been reinvigorated. That little slice of the celluloid pie (mmmm, sounds good) belongs to the British heist flick. With The Bank Job, and now with Flawless, this could mark the beginning of a revamp of all capper films to follow. Or at least we can hope.

Directed by Michael Radford, who has had little mainstream acknowledgment, (save perhaps the star studded Merchant of Venice) makes his shove into the limelight with a film although never destined to make the big bucks, hopefully at least will be sought out by some. Similarly to The Bank Job, Flawless concentrates more on atmosphere and character development then flashy drawn out robbery sequences, although that can most defiantly be rewarding, as seen in The Italian Job. The opening sequence is a hybrid of Blood Diamond and Lord of War, showing the journey of a diamond from a muddy African field to a throne atop a ladies dainty finger. This film has similar political views to that of Blood Diamond, and such morals are imbedded into multiple facets of the story. It also has elements of Pay it Forward, numerous cat and mouse thrillers, even a scene reminiscent of the opening monologue of Titanic. But as such, Flawless never rips of any of these films, and instead, combines a number of classic elements to create a riveting and original picture.

Most heist films either follow a straightforward narrative, where we follow key characters as they assemble their teams, and carry out the theft or, the other broad characterization is to opt for a scattered chronology, beginning with the hero in prison, where their fate is (sometimes) certain. Flawless manages to incorporate wisps' of both these narrative flows, and is better off because of it. Set in 60's London, we meet Michael Caine, who plays janitor "Mr Hobbs", a 15-year veteran employee of the largest supplier of diamonds at the time, The London Diamond Corporation. Still coping with the loss of his wife, he recruits the help of American Laura Quinn (Demi Moore), who is a sour senior administrator; sour because she has been passed up for promotion one too many times. (In addition to the fact that she learns she will be terminated shortly) Using their opposite shift work and positions to their advantage, they plan to steal enough diamonds to live their lives out in comfort.

Demi Moore has never been much of an actress, but despite her slipping English accent, she gives probably her best performance to date, fading into her role, and for once, playing a character that looks their age. The problem with her character is not with Moore's performance but with how she is presented; unsympathetic and shrill. She always seems unwilling and bitchy, which could be partly due to the stark contrast between Moore and her male counterpart's composure and cool. That "male" of course being Michael Caine, who is solid as always and makes for a very atypical criminal which is part of the films charm. He is sweet, old and can barely walk, but his history (which does not include training for a career in janitorial work) makes him a formidable foe. We get nice supporting work from the always devilish Lambert Wilson, who we all remember as The Merovingian from The Matrix Reloaded, as the internal investigator and from Joss Ackland as one of London Diamond's heads and who is a powerfully menacing figure. (He played Arjen Rudd, the evil African diplomat in Lethal Weapon II)

Flawless has a good feel for the times, in reference to the setting, clothing, dialogue, etc. The inevitable twist that is associated with almost all heist films stands alone in its uniqueness, which you will have to see to truly understand why it is different. Director Radford gives us some powerful sequences; one which perfectly captures the political intentions of the film involves Michael Caine's character tossing one of the largest cut diamonds in the world into a bin of tiny uncut stones, which the executives wouldn't floss their teeth with. It is a vivid reminder of what diamonds really are, and what we are willing to give and do for such.

Destined to be a ghost in the theatres, this is definitely a film to scrounge for on DVD shelves. Presenting emotionally charged and involving performances and extracting a blind-siding twist from a source which I though must have been drained years ago, Flawless is a solid and intellectually stimulating movie experience.

View all my reviews at Simon Says Movie Reviews: www.simonsaysmovies.blogspot.com