Michael Caine stars as Jack Carter. A chain smoking, reserved-but-nosy man of working class distinction with Gangster ties. He travels to Newcastle for his brother's funeral and to check on his niece- who is something of a brick wall.

For the beginning of the film, we simply focus on the mundane events seen through Jack's eyes- a train carriage of reserved commuters who never speak a word to one another; Jack's brief solo stop in a bar where we simply learn what type of alcohol Jack likes to drink and in what type of glass. Then we follow him visit his brother's old fashioned abode, where the dead brother lies in rigor in a coffin. Whilst there, Jack collects a double barrel shotgun.

What keeps us hooked throughout this is firstly the director's fine camera eye for frameing and slowly tracking familiar, gritty surroundings, and secondly, most importantly there is a sense of being kept in the dark- as yet we don't know what killed his brother- whether it was an accident or suicide or a hit. We don't know what kind of man he was when he was alive, except that less than a dozen people were at his funeral. The camera rarely goes off Jack's face and there is always that silent reminder that Jack is actively thinking and wondering, and building up emotions in his uptight frame.

The film works because of its sense of missing puzzle pieces being slowly collected- and I mean slowly collected. Our common held pre-conceptions are encouraged only to be contradicted and shattered when the characters start talking and revealing new facts about what kind of person the dead man was.

In between that we have plenty of sub-plots equally loaded with mystery- such as double dealing infidelities. All of which are quite erotic and stylish- there's moments of delirious sex and beautifully delivered dirty talk down the phone.

Our main character is also a mystery- Jack cloaks himself in a layered smart suit and navy blue mack, a lot of suaveness and always appears self contained. But there's fury within him we only begin to see in the second half of the film, and we are always awaiting how he will act on his fury because we still don't know what type of underworld man he is, and how violent he can get.

Although not immediately obvious, he is a man who's lost the ability to be truly happy when the cloud of tragic uncertainty over his brother's death blocks him from even beginning the grieving process. He's waiting for that moment when he can be free to emotionally explode- whether to cry at the loss or to laugh with joy if he ever finds satisfaction. This is realised by the way that every sexual encounter he has is immediately interrupted by another revelation or confrontation which brings him back from his sexual high to the grim and confusing reality he's in.

The film was based on the book "Jack's Return Home" by Ted Lewis and its perhaps one of the most perfect visual recreations of novel prose I've seen on a cinema screen. Meaning its a very sensory experience- every shadow and dim lighting is accounted for, you can almost smell the stifling tobacco in the air or feel the moist mist from the waterfront, in quiet moments you can audibly hear the dripping of tap water or the blowing of the wind or the rumble of a train on the tracks- and also moments which conjure with great facial acting of the leading man the eruption of hidden emotional chaos/clarity within. Its not often cinema has that kind of power, but other such films-based-on-books which succeed at that art include "The Omen", Once Upon a Time In America", "Raging Bull", "Ringu" and "Fight Club". And there's some films which aren't based on books but which can still reproduce the same effect- particularly Quentin Tarantino movies.

The appeal of this film is somewhat limited. This is not your light hearted type of Michael Caine crime comedy in the same vein as "The Italian Job" (which is also a classic film, incidentally)- not by a long way. When Michael Caine acts angry in this film, he does it to really be felt rather than to get a laugh from the audience- and he's very good at it indeed- there really is an emotional connection subtlely formed with him and the viewer.

But its not a comfortable film. It doesn't even have the occasional feelgood moments of a gangster film of sweet and direct spoken romance or the confidence at making new connections and friendships and finding better social circles. Its all very introvert in character- but at the same time it is empowering. Its about demanding respect through any means, its about preparing for that moment in your life which really matters and where no law or moral authority can get in your way.

Its a very slow moving film with a fair half of the film's length to go before we get into any action of fisticuffs, blades and guns. But the violence is very uncomfortable- its sudden and assaulting to the viewer- there isn't a forewarning buildup to give us comfort beforehand. In the local bar someone could make the wrong type of compliment or assumption or innocently flirt with the wrong person -could be a man or woman- and then without warning someone's provoked to smashing a bottle over their head and mauling their face with their nails like a wild animal. Its intimidating indeed, and unpredictable.

Anyone we've previously though was safe can die in this film in unpredictable ways and anyone we've previously grown to trust could be the one to kill them and even then that person could have legitimate reasons to do it- and there's multiple methods of murder for whoever's most satisfied by it. Even the most nasty of killings where women are killed in an eroticised way to emphasise feminine vulnerability with nudity (being semi naked before the kill is made- typical of 70's and 80's ultraviolence cinema), we always focus on the emotions behind the killer and the victim- its not just sadistic, but it does shed light on a man's sadistic desires when he's in a bloodlust.

Ultimately for me it was a fantastic movie experience which tickled me on a patriotic level for its British style and eye for pedestrian town layout and cockney slang. But also left me taking away a heartfelt journey for truth and redress. An old and of its time film, but ultimately a timeless one.

Recommended adult viewing only for shocking violence, physical brutality, anti-social behaviour and strong sexual content.

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age