The Long Good Friday

There has been ten years of peace in the London underworld, and now mob boss Harry (Bob Hoskins) has finally found his chance to go legit. With a lucrative deal with American businessmen where he hopes to build casinos along the waterfront, Harry will soon be able to enjoy a luxurious life with his stalwart wife Victoria (Helen Mirren). Just as the celebrations have begun aboard his houseboat on Good Friday, bombs begin exploding and members of Harry's faction are being taken out. Now as soon as Harry finds the culprits, swift revenge will be had on all responsible. The deeper he digs, he soon discovers the problem is more complex than  it appears and that his enemy may be not quite as manageable as he had expected. The Long Good Friday is a gritty, very British film from director John Mackenzie, which has more in common with a top notch action thriller than an operatic mob film. Bob Hoskins made his mark on the film world with his performance as Harry, a quick tempered and ruthless little man whom we somehow sympathize with. Helen Mirren is great in an early role as his loyal and tough as nails wife. The Long Good Friday is a tough, violent, and complicated film that is entertaining but also challenging. It is a fine entry in the gangster flick genre.