London

This film tells the story of a man who is dumped by his girlfriend before she moves to Los Angeles. He gets talking with his drug dealer after snorting cocaine.

With the big names in the film, I thought "London" would be good. Just ten minutes into the film, I was already thoroughly bored. The whole film is basically two guys talking talking and talking for hours in a posh toilet. They argue, swear at each other, and is full of negative atmosphere. And I am so annoyed by Jason Statham's wig. I just think it is wrong for him to have a wig because his bald image is just the right image for him. Chris Evan's character is called Syd, which probably stands for Sydney - and his girlfriend is called London. The other characters might as well be called Berlin, Tokyo, Beijing and New York! I could not get into the film at all. I thought it was a terrible bore.

I must admit that I rented this movie for one reason: Jason Statham. Like many who watched (or want to watch) this movie, I have been a fan of his since I was first introduced to him by Guy Ritchie movies. So I rented this movie not really expecting anything and hoping for the best.

The plot of the movie revolves around a guy (Chris Evans) buying a bunch of cocaine and hiding in a bathroom during his ex's going away party rather than seeing his ex-girlfriend (Jessica Biel). His drug dealer, Bateman (Jason Statham) is dragged along for the voyage. The movie plays out like what it is, which is two guys getting high on coke and arguing about every little thing that pops into their heads, all the while playing it off like philosophy. If you get stressed out by movies, be aware that the arguments can get quite intense and a couple people I watched the movie with felt a bit stressed out by all the arguing.

Chris Evans plays the main character and is stuck with the decision of saying goodbye or confessing his love to his ex-girlfriend. We are supposed to sympathize and perhaps even do a bit towards the end but for the most part he comes off as an utmost misogynist a-hole jerk that makes you glad that he and his girlfriend are not together anymore.

Jason Statham however, starts out a bit weak and ill defined as a character. However as time goes on, he really blossoms out and shows some acting chops, and in more particular scene he shows an intensity that I found remarkable for someone who is just in the beginnings of his acting career.

So I give this movie a 7, as the ending is satisfying, despite the movie being quite catch as can. The rest of the actors are passable. However, I wished that there was more of the cutie Isla Fisher however. Jessica Biel which is the focus of the movie, basically serves as a periphery to Evans and Statham. As a result you end up rooting for Statham's "Bateman" and wishing him to get the girl. The movie is good, if you are a fan of the actors, then you should see it; if not there are better choices.

Good movie that makes you think a little bit...or reminisce, one of those. It's not too funny not too serious, not a chic flick, and not a total drug/sex movie...I liked it! It had a good balance and a meaning behind it. If someone lays out for you what the movie was it sounds kind of bland...it's basically a guy still in love with his girl and he wants her back even after they've been apart for awhile and he does coke...sounds lame, doesn't it? But seriously, the conversations in this movie are wild and definitely make you think, and there are some funny parts too, and...maybe some gross ones lol. See for yourself. A hot and talented cast with a good setting and awesome camera techniques, really loved the flow of the shots.

"You can't blame people for being the way they are, only yourself for expecting something else from them..you can change yourself for two reasons.. either you learn enough that u want to or you've been hurt enough that you have to..either way, you make mistakes, you try to learn from them...and when you don't...it hurts even more."

I don't have much to say about this film, other than Jason was great in it. The film basically revolves around the ups and downs of the relationship between the two main characters, played by Jessica Biel and Chris Evans. The relationship plot is pretty standard, and I felt the flashbacks of the two of them together kind of slows the film down. The more interesting scenes take place in the bathroom between Chris Evans and Jason Statham, who plays a random guy he met in a bar. Jason happens to have some coke on him, and Chris happens to be headed to a going-away party for his ex-girlfriend. So there are plenty of scenes where the two characters are just doing coke and chatting it up in the bathroom. But I enjoyed those scenes! Especially when they both get to know each other better and expose deep, dark secrets from their love lives. Evans and Biel are both fairly good actors, but they don't command the screen in the way that Statham does. So all in all, Statham steals the show! I think many people first discovered him in "The Transporter" movies. Though both films were good, he didn't get a chance to show off his acting chops. I personally liked him ever since I saw him in "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels," though the movie itself didn't appeal to me much. "London" is not a bad indie flick, but it's uneven, with too many dull moments for me to regard it as anything more than slightly above average. And in case you're wondering, Jessica Biel doesn't get naked...lol. I know...sucks.

Directed by newcomer Hunter Richards, London is a complex tale of a man scorned by a traumatic breakup. Jessica Biel plays the title character, a savvy sophisticated woman who was the love of Syd's (Chris Evans) life. Since she left him, he has become a complete wreck. He now spends his days drinking and snorting cocaine. Six months later, he finds out through a random phone call that London is moving to Los Angeles. The worst part is that her friend Becca (Isla Fisher) is throwing a going away party - one that he isn't invited to. Determined to get London back, Syd decides to crash the party along with his unsuspecting dealer Bateman (Jason Statham), a banker who sells drugs on the side. When they get there, they eventually wind up in the bathroom. They snort huge amounts of coke and talk about life and love as Syd attempts to get up his nerve and talk to London. Along the way we are introduced to a number of eccentric characters, such as feisty bartender Mallory (Joy Bryant) and high-school student Maya (Kelli Garner). Each one plays a part in Syd's tripped-out journey of self discovery.

Although it features a cast full of popular young stars, London is not an easy sell in the slightest.. Audiences aren't likely to respond due to its strange and offbeat plot. It reminds me a lot of 1999's Go in this regard, although it is considerably less mainstream. It is truly a character study of many different individuals, all of them reflecting on life as the events unfold before their eyes. It moves at a slow pace but is never boring thanks to excellent performances and stylish direction.

Chris Evans is on screen for almost every frame and delivers another excellent performance. He shows his dramatic chops here and exhibits an ability for both comedy and drama. His character is very complex and has many different layers, all of which are revealed throughout the course of the film. Jason Statham, well-known for his action roles, plays against type here as the straight laced businessman Bateman. He shows his talent in both comedy and drama, and also has great chemistry with Evans. Jessica Biel is radiant and fascinating as London, a woman longing for complete commitment in an otherwise stable relationship. She has strong chemistry with real-life boyfriend Evans and her character is believable and likable. Most of her scenes are flashback sequences, so it is interesting to watch her character progress.

The supporting cast is great for a film of this size. Joy Bryant is solid as Mallory and gets the most to do of the side characters. Kelli Garner makes an impression but isn't given a whole lot to do, maybe appearing for fifteen minutes total. Isla Fisher, who was hilarious in last year's Wedding Crashers, gives another strong comedic performance here as the naive and unsuspecting party host. The rest of the actors are fairly insignificant overall, with most being reduced to mere walk-on roles (such as comedian Dane Cook).

Richards writes and directs this project and shows great promise in his first outing. The direction is stylish and he finds many interesting takes to use - making the film easy to watch and helping it from dragging on. The screenplay is also solid. It seems like something originally written for the stage, but it works on film thanks to the way each scene is handled. While there are comedic elements, there are also several sweet and poignant scenes. The best scene in the film is the final confrontation between London and Syd in an airport. The Crystal Method provides the score for the film, a techno-fringed mixture of various beats that fits well with the tone of the film.

Overall, I can see why London isn't appreciated by critics and won't be embraced by audiences. It's a strange film that requires patience from the viewer due to its slow pace. But thanks to excellent performances and stylish direction, it turns out to be a completely fascinating and involving tale.

8/10 (B+)