Movies are weird. Sometimes a film lands with a thud, critics tear it apart, and everyone moves on until, suddenly, a decade later, it's sitting in the Netflix or Paramount+ Top 10. That’s exactly what happened with London Boulevard.
Released back in 2010, this flick had everything going for it on paper. You had Colin Farrell right as he was transitioning from "Hollywood bad boy" to "serious character actor." You had Keira Knightley, Ray Winstone, and a script by William Monahan—the guy who literally won an Oscar for writing The Departed.
Yet, when it hit theaters, the reception was... chilly. Critics called it a "Guy Ritchie knockoff" or a "confused mess." But if you watch it now, especially in the context of Farrell’s later career highs like The Banshees of Inisherin or The Penguin, London Boulevard feels like a hidden bridge. It’s a moody, violent, and surprisingly poetic slice of London noir that deserves a second look.
What is London Boulevard actually about?
At its core, the movie is about Mitchell (played by Farrell), a South London guy who just finished a three-year stretch in Pentonville Prison. He wants out of the game. He really does. He's reading Rilke, he's staying quiet, and he’s trying to dodge the "diamond geezer" tropes that usually haunt British crime cinema.
But the world won't let him.
Basically, the plot splits into two lives that Mitchell is trying to balance:
- The Bodyguard Gig: He gets hired to protect Charlotte (Keira Knightley), a reclusive, paparazzi-hounded actress living in a massive Holland Park mansion. This is the part of the story that pulls from the classic Sunset Boulevard.
- The Gangster Gravity: His old life, personified by the terrifyingly polite but psychotic mob boss Gant (Ray Winstone), keeps pulling him back. Gant doesn't want Mitchell’s money; he wants Mitchell’s soul. He wants him back in the fold because Mitchell is "good" at being bad.
It’s a collision course. You've got the high-gloss, fragile world of celebrity on one side and the gritty, blood-stained pavement of the London underworld on the other. Mitchell is stuck in the middle, trying to be a "samurai" of sorts—a man with a code in a city that doesn't care about codes.
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The Farrell Factor: A Masterclass in Stillness
Honestly, Farrell is the best part of this movie.
Before London Boulevard, we were used to a more "vocal" Farrell. But here, he’s doing something different. He’s incredibly still. Monahan (the director) clearly leaned into Farrell’s ability to communicate everything with just a look.
There’s a specific scene where Mitchell is being intimidated by Gant in a high-end restaurant. Ray Winstone is doing what Ray Winstone does—chewing the scenery with a menacing, silver-service charm. Farrell just sits there. He doesn't raise his voice. He doesn't twitch. He just looks at him with these eyes that say, "I am going to have to kill you, aren't I?"
It’s a performance that feels very "modern Farrell." It’s restrained. It’s weary. You can tell he’s a man who has seen too much and just wants a cup of tea and some peace, but he knows deep down that peace isn't on the menu.
Why the critics originally hated it (and why they were kinda wrong)
The big complaint at the time was that the movie was "tonally inconsistent." And, okay, fair point. It jumps from being a gritty crime drama to a dreamy romance to a pitch-black comedy.
One minute you’re watching a homeless man get brutally attacked (a subplot involving Mitchell’s friend Joe), and the next you’re watching David Thewlis play a drug-addled, eccentric "house manager" who feels like he wandered off the set of Withnail & I.
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But that’s actually the charm of London Boulevard. It’s a "pastiche."
- It’s got the DNA of 1960s British "muscular" cinema like Get Carter.
- It uses a soundtrack filled with The Rolling Stones and The Yardbirds to give it a retro, cool-Britannia vibe.
- It has that sharp, profanity-laced dialogue that Monahan is famous for.
It doesn’t feel like a standard Hollywood movie because it isn't one. It’s an American writer/director’s love letter to British crime films, filtered through an Irish lead actor. It’s messy, yeah, but it’s an interesting mess.
The Keira Knightley Problem
A lot of people felt the romance between Farrell and Knightley was "damp." Keira Knightley plays Charlotte as a woman who is essentially a prisoner of her own fame. She pouts, she looks harried, and she’s constantly crossing her arms.
Critics felt there was no chemistry. But if you look at it as a noir trope—the "damsel in distress" who is really just a mirror for the hero's own desire for escape—it works better. They aren't meant to have a "Notebook" style romance. They are two lonely people in London who see each other as a potential exit door.
The Supporting Cast is Low-Key Incredible
If you aren't sold on the leads, the bench strength in this movie is insane. You’ve got:
- Ray Winstone: Playing a gangster who is secretly "bookish" and deeply traumatized.
- David Thewlis: Who absolutely steals every scene as Jordan. He’s the comic relief, but with a dark, sharp edge.
- Stephen Graham: Before he was in everything, he was here.
- Eddie Marsan: Playing a crooked cop who feels like he’s stuck in a 1970s police procedural.
- Anna Friel: As Mitchell’s wayward, gold-digging sister, Briony.
It’s a "who’s who" of British talent. Even if the plot feels like it has too many threads (the homeless friend, the sister, the debt collecting, the actress), watching these actors bounce off each other is worth the price of admission alone.
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What users actually want to know about London Boulevard
People usually stumble onto this movie while scrolling through streaming services and ask three things:
- Is it a sequel to Sunset Boulevard? No. It’s based on a novel by Ken Bruen. The name is a nod to the Billy Wilder classic because of the "actress and her protector" setup, but it’s a standalone crime story.
- Does Colin Farrell do a good accent? It’s... okay. He’s doing a South London/Cockney thing. It’s better than most, though you can occasionally hear the Dubliner peeking through when he gets agitated.
- Is it worth watching? If you like The Departed, Sexy Beast, or In Bruges, then yes. It’s not as "perfect" as those movies, but it shares their DNA.
Actionable insights for your next watch
If you’re going to give London Boulevard a spin, don't expect a fast-paced Guy Ritchie heist movie. It’s slower than that.
- Watch the background: The cinematography by Chris Menges (The Reader) is gorgeous. He captures a version of London that is both hyper-realistic and weirdly dreamy.
- Listen to the music: The soundtrack is a 10/10. It drives the mood of the film more than the dialogue does sometimes.
- Pay attention to Mitchell’s "code": The movie is a tragedy about a man who tries to be good in a world that only rewards him for being a monster.
London Boulevard isn't a "waste of time," as Farrell jokingly hoped in his early interviews. It’s a stylish, flawed, and deeply atmospheric noir that serves as a reminder of why Colin Farrell is one of the most interesting actors of our generation.
If you're looking for a gritty weekend watch, find it on your favorite streaming platform. It’s currently seeing a massive resurgence in popularity—proof that sometimes a movie just needs a decade for the audience to catch up with its vibe.
Next steps to dive deeper:
Check out the original novel by Ken Bruen. It’s even darker and more "elliptical" than the movie. If you liked the "bodyguard" dynamic, you should also look up The Bodyguard (1992) for the Hollywood version, or A Bittersweet Life for the high-octane Korean take on the same theme.