Legend - starring Tom Hardy as both Kray Twins

candy-gal1 · 10-09-2015 10:49PM

Absolutly loved it I did, saw it this afternoon and even though I knew kinda what to expect from the dad telling me about the actual twins back in the day, it surprised me how much it sucked you in, didnt leave you waiting for stuff to happen, made you wince, cry a bit, laugh, and think too

I admit the background of the twins could have been explained and delved into, as with the mother, but still all in all a great movie, great escapism, and would reccomend it and probably would go see it again!

dark crystal · 11-09-2015 12:04AM

Just got back from seeing it tonight and I have to say I was left quite disappointed.

Hardy, as always, is worth the price of admission, but the film itself was poorly padded out and didn't explore the roots of 'The Firm' or the relationship of the Kray brothers enough. It focused on Reggie and his anaemic wife's relationship far too much, which really wasn't that interesting. As brilliantly as Hardy played both roles, he did at stages turn the characters into caricatures imo.

Personally, I much preferred the 1990 version as it went much deeper into the Kray biography. You'd also miss the presence of the late, great Billie Whitelaw as the formidable matriarch who seemed a much larger influence on the boys than was suggested in this film.

Faith+1 · 11-09-2015 01:13AM

dark crystal wrote: »

Personally, I much preferred the 1990 version as it went much deeper into the Kray biography. You'd also miss the presence of the late, great Billie Whitelaw as the formidable matriarch who seemed a much larger influence on the boys than was suggested in this film.

Haven't seen the movie yet but have to agree with you there. She was an amazing actress and was certainly one of the best characters in the 1990 flick.

darkdubh · 11-09-2015 10:11PM

Lenin Skynard wrote: »

Ah sure isn't he only gaaaarjess.

I'll take the spandau ballet pair over this any day. If I watch this I'll only end up comparing it to that original film. This looks too much like Goodfellas and I always find it a bit distracting when one actor is playing twins. Like those Linsay Lohan movies when she was a kid or that terrible one with Bette Midler from the '80s.

I think Jeremy Irons did a very good job of playing twins in Dead Ringers.

duckysauce · 11-09-2015 11:32PM

Hardy was class . Film itself was a jusk ok a couple of great and uncomfortable scenes . Worth going to just to see Hardy though.

ktulu123 · 12-09-2015 11:34PM

Loved it, hardy was amazing

****ING SING!!

Looper007 · 13-09-2015 08:32PM

For Starters Tom Hardy is excellent as always as Reggie and Ronnie Kray, especially as Ronnie (he really does headcases better then anyone). It's deserving of award talk and he should get at least a Oscar nod.

Onto the film itself, I liked it wasn't in love with it, pity as I was expecting good time gangster film with this. The sad truth is whenever Tom Hardy isn't on screen the film drags, nothing agaisn't Emily Browning (who's easy on the eye) but Brian Helgeland biggest fault was having Frances Shea (Reggie's Wife) been front and centre. I still think even after watching this, I wish it was more a straight forward rags to riches to downfall tale of the Krays. It was sadly given up for the romance and eventually

death of Frances

rather then been a straight out biopic on both brothers. Browning isn't bad just she can't quite stand up to the might of Hardy's performance,

David Thewlis and Christopher Eccleston were sadly wasted in underwritten roles. Taron Egerton has a few moments to shine as Ronnie's sidekick/lover.
But the best performance from the supporting cast was Paul Bettany (Gangster No 1 still his greatest performance) as Charlie Richardson (who in real life was more feared and far more successful then the Krays) in a small cameo. The film would have benefited with given him more screen time as he was hugely enjoyable.

The film is at it's best during the down and dirty gangland scenes. The 18 rating deserving for two scenes

the brutal bar fight with hammer's and Reggie brutally stabbing of McVitie

, Anytime Ronnie is on screen the film brings it's A Game, sadly he's not on screen enough. That saying it's still a very enjoyable film and well worth checking out for Hardy and Bettany's cameo, I was expecting a lot more from this and it didn't quite match my expectations but I still buy when it comes out on DVD.

Looper007 · 13-09-2015 08:43PM

dark crystal wrote: »

Personally, I much preferred the 1990 version as it went much deeper into the Kray biography. You'd also miss the presence of the late, great Billie Whitelaw as the formidable matriarch who seemed a much larger influence on the boys than was suggested in this film.

It's underrated and it has a darker feel which I wanted Legend to have but I still pick Legend over it myself.

Take the Kemp brother's out of that (they aren't bad just lack the menace of Hardy but I thought Gary Kemp did a good Ronnie Kray) put in Hardy, give the script a bit of a rewrite here and there, especially the 3rd act as it does begin to drag once Reggie's wife comes on the screen (a massive problem with both films). Then you would have had a perfect Kray brother's biopic, I think Legend wins out just by a few inches for me. But I did love Billie Whitelaw performance, the more downbeat feel to the film, Steven Berkoff OTT performance as George Cornell.

fin12 · 13-09-2015 10:10PM

Tom Hardy is very good, but I actually think the kemp brothers version was better, I think you get a lot more of the background of the Krays in the Kemp version.

NachoBusiness · 13-09-2015 11:50PM

Great movie but poor film. Personally I feel biopics should be more film than movie, but there you go.

Sure the mere fact that Charlie Kray wasn't one of the main characters is absurd, considering how much he was part of their lives, particularly with regards to the running of the club. He wrote a book called Me and My Brothers before he died and it's quite an interesting read for anyone interested. Biased account obviously, but an enjoyable one nonetheless.

FunLover18 · 14-09-2015 02:19AM

Looper007 wrote:

Brian Helgeland biggest fault was having Frances Shea (Reggie's Wife) been front and centre.

This! I was left this film so disappointed mainly because despite the fact that Hardy is playing both twins and the marketing is completely focusing on his performances, I left the film feeling that in both roles he's a supporting character.

I knew nothing of the Kray twins going into and I can't say I know a lot more having seen the film. The film is essentially clips from their lives strung together by one of worst film narrations I've ever heard. Seriously it sounded like a kid's school project;then they did this, Ron was thinking that while Reggie was there, and then things changed, meanwhile I couldn't sleep, blah blah blah. Shut up. Tonally as well it was a bit off, at times it felt like a sitcom about two whacky gangster twins and then it would try to be more serious and it just didn't work.

I'd love to be able rave about Hardy's performance despite the poor film but quite the opposite, I find myself overwhelmed by the blandness of the film despite his performance. It feels like a TV film and had it been on TV I would've have changed channel.

tony1kenobi · 14-09-2015 07:56PM

I liked it. A couple walked out when Ron was spanking the rent boys arse. I found it funny that they drew the line there but not when lads were getting bludgeoned with hammers.

Looper007 · 14-09-2015 11:12PM

tony1kenobi wrote: »

I liked it. A couple walked out when Ron was spanking the rent boys arse. I found it funny that they drew the line there but not when lads were getting bludgeoned with hammers.

Really?? a few were laughing at that scene including myself.

Exclamation Marc · 15-09-2015 02:34AM

Just back from seeing the film tonight.

I thought Tom Hardy was immense in his roles but the rest of the film felt really poorly paced.

Narration was horrible and the film was too focused on Frances. I would have liked to see more akin to the first pub fight scene but soon after that point it more or less became a study of Reggie and Frances' love-life (with passing references to Ron and Reggies criminal lives) as opposed to a gritty drama based on the Krays which I would have much preferred.

Some of Ron's scenese were hysterical but overall I left a bit disappointed.

FunLover18 · 15-09-2015 10:32PM

I meant to ask

when Frances dies one of the Krays walks in and asks Frank where she is and goes into the bedroom. Was it Ron or Reggie? He seemed to be dressed like Ron and I could've sworn his hair was slicked back like Ron's but he didn't have glasses

Exclamation Marc · 15-09-2015 10:45PM

FunLover18 wrote: »

I meant to ask
when Frances dies one of the Krays walks in and asks Frank where she is and goes into the bedroom. Was it Ron or Reggie? He seemed to be dressed like Ron and I could've sworn his hair was slicked back like Ron's but he didn't have glasses

I assume it was Reggie

TerrorFirmer · 16-09-2015 11:20PM

Very enjoyable and it owes everything to Tom Hardy's incredible performance in both roles, but ultimately a little bit hollow and far less gritty and insightful than I would have liked.

Still absolutely worth a watch though.

JP Liz V1 · 16-09-2015 11:49PM

Come award season could Hardy land double nominations as best actor for this film, is that even possible?

Into The Blue · 16-09-2015 11:51PM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Come award season could Hardy land double nominations as best actor for this film, is that even possible?

Double win..
Best actor, Reggie
Best supporting actor, Ronnie.

fin12 · 16-09-2015 11:53PM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Come award season could Hardy land double nominations as best actor for this film, is that even possible?

Don't think so, I'd be pretty surprised if he got nominations for that. I dont think the film is box office enough.

JP Liz V1 · 17-09-2015 12:02AM

fin12 wrote: »

Don't think so, I'd be pretty surprised if he got nominations for that. I dont think the film is box office enough.

I think Tom with director/writer Tom Helgeland stand very good chances in the awards race, I think Bafta nominations are shoe ins

Exclamation Marc · 17-09-2015 12:17AM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Come award season could Hardy land double nominations as best actor for this film, is that even possible?

No unfortunately not.

Much like Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove, he would receive the single nomination in the Oscars and Baftas.

fin12 · 17-09-2015 12:34AM

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I think Tom with director/writer Tom Helgeland stand very good chances in the awards race, I think Bafta nominations are shoe ins

I doubt it, I think the whole thing is fixed sure I read there before that people voting on them haven't even watched the films, and usually the films that win are released all near the award season. Somebody correct me If I'm wrong here but I'm not sure if the academy like to give awards to gangster movies, I dont know, they just dont seem to win that much, I can remember martin Scorsese winning alright with the departed.

Did the hobbit trilogy win any awards???

Irish Aris · 17-09-2015 12:50PM

fin12 wrote: »

I doubt it, I think the whole thing is fixed sure I read there before that people voting on them haven't even watched the films, and usually the films that win are released all near the award season. Somebody correct me If I'm wrong here but I'm not sure if the academy like to give awards to gangster movies, I dont know, they just dont seem to win that much, I can remember martin Scorsese winning alright with the departed.

Did the hobbit trilogy win any awards???

Could LA Confidential fall under the gangster movie category? - it won 2 that year, it was the year Titanic swept everything.
I could see Tom Hardy been nominated. He carries the whole film.

brianregan09 · 17-09-2015 01:55PM

I want to echo what everyone else said here , I found the movie while great died a death every time the wife was on screen there was no need for her to be featured so predominantly

Tom Hardy was amazing in both roles and I loved one moment in particualar where ya might have been thinking Reggie may not be so bad and a good guy , that he was really just a scummy ****er aswell rightly pulls the rug out from underneath the character

Into The Blue · 17-09-2015 08:29PM

Was wreaking my head why they left out all the krays armed robbery, arson etc..

Thinking there... There's nothing in the film about their crimes, bar the two murders they were convicted for, as these two crimes were all the wife knew about.. It was her telling the story from her pov..

17-09-2015 11:14PM

I was squirming in seat throughout this and not for good reasons. I thought all the characters bar Reggie were fairly wooden and boring. Ron seemed like a cartoon character. I didn't believe him for a second, all I could see was Tom Hardy talking out the side of his mouth with glasses on. I was not expecting a love story at all either. I didn't really care for Francais so it was hard to get into. The mopey accompanying music wasn't helping. She married a gangster and was suddenly shocked that he was a gangster. There was no arc in how the twins got to where they were. Suddenly they were the top dogs. The rival gangs were massively downplayed. The interaction with the Americans seemed tacked on with little consequence to the story. Then it abruptly ends.

Honestly I don't think the source material was good enough. That's the problem sometimes with "true" stories. They have to tick a few boxes and have to force various things into the plot.

Looper007 · 18-09-2015 12:19AM

fin12 wrote: »

Don't think so, I'd be pretty surprised if he got nominations for that. I dont think the film is box office enough.

Well it's broke a box office record in the U.K for the biggest film with a 18 cert to get to number 1, it beat the Maze Runner film to number 1 as well. It's a box office hit. I think Tom Hardy is deserving of a Oscar nod aside from that nothing else in the film deserves it, but if he steals the film in The Revenant with Leo Di Caprio then I could see it been overshadowed. I think the film is good but is let down by building the whole film around the young wife (not Emily browning's fault just the role isn't interesting enough). Unlike some on here knocking it I would see recommend it just don't go in expecting a classic.

PTH2009 · 18-09-2015 01:51AM

why was Charles Kray there older brother not in it or mentioned ???

good movie really enjoyed it

Tom Hardy for an oscar

e_e · 20-09-2015 07:39PM

Utterly by the numbers Scorsese-lite stuff, albeit made watchable by very solid direction and Hardy remaining one of the best actors working today.

Heard the director saying he wanted to make a gangster film but went to London instead with it because the American standard was so high, pretty telling in the final product.

Legend - starring Tom Hardy as both Kray Twins

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