FILM REVIEW Legend

Cinema

Ciara Galvin

IN the build up to the release of a film, actors are required to tour around doing mind-numbing interviews with the media. I know they get paid millions, but it must be a pain to be asked the same questions hundreds of times.

What could be worse than the oft-asked question about how you prepare for each film role? Well, from last week’s viral video of actor Tom Hardy shutting down a reporter, apparently a question about your sexuality.

In a recent press conference ahead of the release of ‘Legend’, Hardy was asked by a reporter ‘Do you find it’s hard for celebrities to talk to the media about their own sexualities?’

Hardy, a married father, wasn’t in the form to address the topic of his sexuality and coolly questioned the reporter, asking him why he was asking the question, and quickly said ‘thank you’ cutting the reporter off.

It is ironic that ahead of the release of ‘Legend’, the film which tells the story of notorious gangsters the Kray twins in 1960s London, that Hardy’s sexuality would take centre stage. It’s ironic in the sense that Hardy plays Ron Kray, who in the film is portrayed as being very open about his sexuality and freely admits he likes men.

Though Hardy has played many roles, such as Eames in ‘Inception’ and Bane in ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, ‘Legend’ will surely skyrocket his career.

The talented actor plays both Krays, the good-looking and suave Reg and the paranoid   schizophrenic Ron, who is described as ‘blood thirsty’ and ‘illogical’.

Hardy’s mere appearance for each role is impressive. His familiar good looks remain for Reg, but while playing Ron he is bulky, wonky nosed and chilling in his onscreen presence.

We’re introduced to Reg first and in a scene reminiscent of ‘The General’ (which starred Brendan Gleeson), Reg taunts the police who sit outside his home.

‘Legend’ also put me in mind of an English ‘Goodfellas’; the violence, the relationship and Ron’s unpredictability reminded me of Joe Pesci’s character Tommy.

The film depicts the Krays’ rise to dominance in London and focuses in on Reg and love-interest Frances (Emily Browning), and their fraught relationship.

Reg is at first a charming man who whisks the likeable Frances off her feet, but as Reg gets pulled back into the gangland scene by Ron, cracks begin to show.

Ron is a complex character, though clinically insane, at some points he is endearing. Despite being viciously jealous of his brother’s love for Frances, Ron condones Reg’s actions towards Frances and reveals he always liked her.

Ron provides the majority of the comic relief. His nonchalant announcement to a US mob member, “I prefer boys. Italian. Sometimes Greek. But I’m not prejudiced”, was just brilliant.

In another scene he walks over to Frances’s mother in the middle of the wedding ceremony and tells her to ‘F***ing sing’. It’s a fine line between good fun and complete catastrophe with Ron, and this puts huge strain on the brotherly relationship, and the relationship between Frances and Reg.

The brothers’ relationship reminded me of Lenny and George from ‘Of Mice and Men’; Lennie mentally disabled, and best friend George cleaning up after his mistakes.

A fight scene between the two is humorous but also shows just how strong their family bond is. After cracking a champagne bottle over Ron’s head, Reg embraces his brother.

While many films have glamourised gangs and all of the gangster life trappings, ‘Legend’ director Brian Helgeland has successfully depicted the reality of crime and the Krays’ many flaws.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Tom Hardy, take a bow.

Rating 10 out of 10