My Kingdom (2001) User Reviews

A story not an action film

[albertovalls · 7/10 · 11 November 2005]

A film found in DVD/VCR recorder I just bought. I would not have seen it otherwise. So thanks to whoever tested it with this film and left it in it.

This film is a story about a family in the criminal underworld. The terms Gangsters and Mobsters give the wrong impression, it is supposed to be inspired by King Lear after all. My wife who studied King Lear at college, found the underlying story and characters did resemble that of King Lear.

A controlling father toward the end of his life finds rebellion in the family. It is quite believable that someone as busy as he appears to have been in his life misses out on the most important things with his daughters,(love etc) and finds a chasm he did not know existed.

Events unfold and he has to set straight the dishonourable way his daughters treat him. The cold and calculating way in which this is done is what makes a "gangster" not the usual portrayal of beating up everyone who disagrees with them, but if you cross them that is a different matter. People like the Krays, were in the minority in doing this, or they would not have been so infamous.

All in all an enjoyable dark film.

Another Lear ...

[didi-5 · 6/10 · 16 June 2006]

Yet another film inspired by 'King Lear'; this time set in the world of drug running and violence in rundown Liverpool. This makes it as quirky a setting as Imperial Japan (Ran) or the wild West (Broken Lance) but it doesn't quite come off.

Yes, the parallels are there. Richard Harris as Sandeman gives up control of his gangster empire to his two unlikeable daughters while effectively 'banishing' the youngest; there is a character who has his eyes put out as Gloucester did ... and yet, behind this inspiration the story is thin indeed.

Beautifully shot and atmospheric in its detail of the bleak Merseyside setting, this film disappoints with largely poor acting and a cop-out ending - where we should have had fire and brimstone, we had a whimper.

Richard Harris however is excellent, as ever, in a towering performance which makes me grieve that we never got to see him play Lear for real. There are few actors who could put this complex character across (a variant on the one he played in 'Trojan Eddie', sure, but a meaty role none the less). He's let down by the script but with what he has to work with he is impressive and the one reason to see this film.

More realistic then most US Mob movies

[marbleann · 7/10 · 22 May 2005]

I like this movie. Someone mentioned in a previous comment that they must be use to the mobsters in the US because of the demur wife etc. I disagree completely. I went to school with a few children of the Mob and they were all very low keyed people. The family of the mob are far removed from the action. My friends mothers looked like most people mothers. They don't walk around looking or acting flamboyant. They are just regular folks married to a mobster. I did not even know they were children of mobsters until YEARS later. That is how low keyed they are. That is why I like this movie. The mobsters in here are not bombastic ala Goodfella's, which is not really true to form. They have problems with their kids like everyone else. They have a life that we the public see but they have the life we don't see. But mostly only their associates see. If every mobster looked and acted the way the Goodfella's portrayed them the Mob would not exist because they would no longer be a secretly run organization. The mob thrives on secrecy and a need to look legit. Mr Harris portrays that type of modern mobster. In this movie his daughters seem to be rebelling. One runs a whore house, one is a ex pro junkie. In the US most of the mob daughters are either married or very highly educated or both. So it is unusual to have all 3 of his daughters rebel. This is a nice small movie, with a little violence. But I feel it is a more realistic portrayal of mobster then the movies we usually see in the United States. Oh one last note the guy that plays the young cop is now on The Wire playing a very ambitious politician...with a New York accent. It is strange seeing him acting in his native tongue.Actually The Wire has more then a few actors from Great Britian

Richard Harris´s last performance apparently,

[L8Hatter · 21 December 2003]

and one his best. He plays the boss of a Liverpool rime family, whose own naivety brings his downfall. This is based on King Lear but it doesn´t really work for me here. We´re supposed to believe that this tough, streetwise gang boss would be stupid enough not to see the consequences of his actions (I don´t want to give the story away, but those familiar with King Lear will know what happens. This supposed sudden naivety goes totally aginst the grain of the character Harris portrays in the film up until his fateful decision.

It was an interesting idea but just doesn´t work for me and the second half of the film becomes increasingly silly as a consequence. I´ve also no idea why one of the main gangsters is a Sihk. Liverpool is unusual amongst British cities in having a very small asian population and I don´t think I´ve ever seen a Sihk there. Strange.

That said, it´s not a bad film. There´s some good camerawork, Harris is on good form and the supporting cast are mostly very good. 8/10 for the first half of the film, 5/10 for the second.

Mr Sandeman

[Ali_John_Catterall · 7/10 · 12 November 2009]

It's a fallacy, of course, that you can't go wrong with great source material, judging by the unholy slew of variable Shakespeare knock-offs perennially cluttering cinemas. This is one of the better ones.

Legendary British director-producer Don Boyd (the man behind Scum and The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle), uses 'King Lear' as the premise for an uncompromising tale of family (dis)loyalties, played out against the violent backdrop of gangland Liverpool.

Following his wife's murder in a street mugging, weary crime boss Sandeman (Harris) entrusts his sizeable criminal dynasty to his three daughters - one of whom, Jo (Catherwood), flatly refuses to play ball, as the other power-crazed pair, Tracey (Pilkington) and Kath (Lombard), plot his downfall. Meanwhile, a veteran customs agent, Quick (Bell), is also doggedly on his tail, determined to send him down before they both retire.

Though not the first attempt to ground Shakespeare in such territory (1955's Joe MacBeth was a misguided attempt to transpose the Scottish Play to New York's criminal underworld), My Kingdom delivers with considerable panache. While most of the basic story elements are in place, writers Boyd and 'Guardian' journalist Davies carefully avoid a straight re-telling (many lines here being playful nods to other Shakespeare works, in any case). Instead, they employ smart, darkly funny spins - witness the siblings' competing eulogies by Karaoke to their dead mother.

The performances here, from a top-flight British and Irish cast, are exemplary. Harris, as the shattered Sandeman, proves one needn't have lived the life of a cloistered monk to produce great performances in your seventies.

A family business collapsing

[timothyhilditch · 4/10 · 29 November 2021]

In the backstreets of Liverpool an aging gangster witnesses his family falling to pieces. Based on Shakespeares King Lear and it feels like a play heavily around the drama and the conversations, with not much focussing on action or emotion. Slow and complicated and old. Some of the adapted scenes didn't make sense due to the setting.

Recommended Crime Drama

[kittykatjazz · 7/10 · 9 March 2005]

Overall, I'd vote this a 7.5/10 film, if fractions were available.

I think the comments by L8Hatter (above) veer near the essential tone as to whether or not a person reading these comments might want to view the film. Nonetheless, I am rather more sympathetic than Mr/s Hatter, because I think the film is especially strong in one regard: directing.

I differ with L8Hatter re "We're supposed to believe that this tough, streetwise gang boss would be stupid enough not to see the consequences of his actions..." I believe that is an oversimplification of the presentation of a powerful figure near the end of his life not realizing how his strength and, indeed, bullying conduct of his life have kept him more than a little ignorant of the feelings of those in his own family.

While I disagree with L8Hatter's phrasing, "...the second half of the film becomes increasingly silly...", I agree that there is definite stumbling in the plot line about halfway through the third act, which is a hell of a bad place to have it.

All that said, the directing pretty much single-handedly carries the film. If one particularly enjoys that aspect of the craft, this is a should-see film. And if you haven't some powerfully better film to watch this evening, the character work, cinematography, 92% of the plot line, and definitely the superbly paced directing of action, timing and actors, mean you can make up your mind now.

Too grisly for my taste

[HotToastyRag · 2/10 · 10 March 2022]

The only reason I stuck with this movie until the end was because it was supposed to be a modern take on King Lear, and I wanted to see some great acting from Richard Harris during his time as Star of the Week. Otherwise, it was far too violent and grisly for my taste. I would have gladly turned it off after the first fifteen minutes, and as it was, I did fast-forward all the torture scenes so I wouldn't have them burned on my brain.

Richard stars as a wealthy and powerful man, with a shady past and less-than-admirable cronies working under him. When he believes his life to be in danger, he looks for help among his three daughters: Lorraine Pilkington, Emma Catherwood, and Louise Lombard. Perfectly happy to suck up to him when he was at the top of the world, his older two daughters want nothing to do with him when he's down on his luck. In the very seedy environment, there are hitmen, prostitutes, blackmailers, drug dealers, and professional torturers. There's a particularly gruesome scene where a man is tortured for information, intercut with a family gathering as one of the daughters sings a song to honor her mother, Lynn Redgrave.

It's hard to believe this movie was released the same year as Richard Harris played Professor Dumbledore in the first Harry Potter movie. I would hope no child who saw him as the beloved headmaster also saw him in this gritty drama. This movie obviously wasn't my cup of tea, but if you do like these types of movies, you'll probably like it.

Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to graphic violence and torture, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.

A dark and beautiful film

[luciano8 · 10/10 · 2 June 2002]

King Lear set in gangster Liverpool. Dark, with a blue hue, this film wrenches you with anxiety as the characters struggle. The acting performances do not betray the inspired direction and cinematography.

Do not miss this film.

Boyd at his Best

[amanda-77 · 10/10 · 2 June 2002]

Richard Harris leads a wonderful cast in this powerful, moving, beautiful film, 'My Kingdom'. Liverpool's grit and squalor, in its underworld of gangsters and corruption, is depicted with vibrant colour and power by Boyd. Harris plays a quasi -modern Lear, drawing us all in to his kingdom of gangster Liverpool and his three daughters. 'My Kingdom' is wonderfully realistic , helped by the superb acting of the fine cast, and the intuitive, dynamic direction of Don Boyd. There is also a feeling that you're entering another unknown world, as with Orpheus and his underworld. It's a brilliantly captivating 2 hours well worth spent at the movies.

Don't miss the US previews of this must-see movie, at the Newport Film Festival, Rhode Island, June 6th and 8th.

Beautiful, dark and witty

[sarahtruth · 4 March 2005]

I started checking out Don Boyd's work after seeing his documentary work. What a beautiful, dark and witty film this is, written with Nick Davies who is a superb Guardian writer - his input must have been important although the cinematic imagery and the quirky, witty performances complement the originality of the script.There is some fantastic funny dialogue. Liverpool's landscape has never been portrayed like this before and Boyd gave the great Richard Harris the tools for a superb display of acting intelligence. It is on occasions brutal and uncompromising and the script plays cunningly with the premise - that the court and story of Shakespeare's King Lear can be transplanted to modern crime corrupted Liverpool. It also takes liberties with the fates of Lear's feuding daughters. Cordelia survives but all the actresses who play the girls are wonderfully cast and are all very believable. I have visited Liverpool. All of what Boyd shows is true. Even the evil Sikh character and the corrupt cop, an almost existential performance by Aidan Gillen is unforgettable. A great and seemingly under-rated film although i noticed that really good film critics like Philip French and the man from the LA Times gave it a great review. Compared to other Britsih films it stands out. I wished I could have seen it on a big screen but the DVD i bought had some great extras including some screen tests - I have not seen that before except on a James Dean DVD once.(drool,drool). By the way I am a girl and it is quite violent. But don't believe the nonsense those guys on this site who have written about it so negatively.See it and make up your own mind. Even if you don't like all of it, you will be fascinated as I was. Pity there will be no more Richard Harris movies. He was a great.

Its like the Godfather---but English

[grafspee2 · 10/10 · 11 July 2005]

If you have seen the Godfather (1-3) in one sitting and you don't realize that Mario Puzo only wrote the first as his novel of the same name--this movie is a breath of fresh air that incorporates the tragic elements better as an adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear.

Richard Harris, in one of his last films, plays an aging patriarch of a Liverpool crime family (think Genovese, Soprano, Corleone) that has outlived his welcome suffice to say. His character is brilliantly played if not autobiographical in some regards. His 'loving' family is feuding among its own ranks--bent on claiming the throne of their dying father--trying to kill him for lack of a proper euphemism (off).

Excellent acting, fluid story (occasional wanders) with a strong script and probably great direction. My Kingdom is highly enjoyable if you are willing to suspend some disbelief in regards to the serendipitous plot, lack of humour, underdeveloped characters and a story that you've most likely seen before.

It was missing Joe Pesci stabbing someone with a pen or borrowing his mother's kitchen knife, maybe needed Ray Liotta, Robert DeNiro, Michael Caine, Roy Scheider, but this is a film about the Mersey.

excellent

[jamesharris · 10/10 · 6 March 2003]

I was completely unfamiliar with this film but as I was watching it I felt it to be something that Shakespeare would have written if he were a contemporary writer.I was surprised to see that the movie was inspired by King Lear. The movie is dynamic and unsettling and although the setting up of the story is a little slow the perfect ensemble playing keeps the viewer gripped throughout.There are no weak performances but, as ever,Tom Bell takes the acting honours. I recommend this to anyone seeking a change from the usual sanitized mindless fare.

One of the best British mob movie I've seen.

[surajalva · 9/10 · 5 December 2005]

i saw this movie on cable and it was gruesome and awesome.The basic story relies on the path of Sandeman eho is the ultimate crime boss of Liverpool and suddenly gives the reins to his two evil daughters who after seizing power, betray him and hunt him down for some business problems.If you don't like gore,stay away from the movie.i am from India and the bad guy is also an Indian.Nyway this guy is all into torture and the music at the end and during the movie.Its one Richard Harris's best and least watched movie.ten lines.O.K.Hey are British mobsters really brutal and all into torture?Even in British mob games it shows.

Not my cup of tea

[marshreed · 28 November 2004]

My Kingdom was sufficiently entertaining for a rainy Sunday but that is where the upside ends.

Maybe it's that I'm American and have been overexposed to Capone, Gotti and Luciano but the characters in this movie fall miserably short as mobsters. Rule one: Mobsters are scary people. Mother (Mandy) and daughter (Jo) are so wholesome they could pass for GoodHousekeeping covergirls (Mandy even resembles Martha Stewart!). Apparently, Jo (Moll-turned-preppy coed) managed to just "walk away" from her position with "The Chair". Shouldn't she be dead?

Dad is apparently so important that he asks the lowest of thugs, "Do you know who I am?". Where are his bodyguards? Why is he sitting in the cheap seats at the show? Also, it would have been nice if someone clued us in as to how this giant-among-men built his empire: Drugs? Prostitution? Gambling? Stamp-collecting?

Lastly: Where was the trademark blood? Guess the budget was too low for a few bottles of Ketchup.

All-in-all, My Kingdom had a good plot-line and decent actors but it was a little low-calorie for my gangster-genre diet.

Kingdom for Eternity

[jqtvnbtsw · 10/10 · 28 November 2022]

I think the people that worked on this film gave their best effort given the resources and information they had at their disposal.

My belief is that many years from now, this piece will be viewed as a seminal piece which greatly influenced the direction of the industry and evolution of the craft.

Only time will reveal the truth.

Regardless, the impact of this work on social culture, political realities and individual maturation be will be remembered among the most powerful works of the last century.

Imagine for a moment you held the responsibility of the Kingdom. Now imagine you cared deeply about your responsibilities.

My Kingdom is a plain horrible flick

[leiser18 · 27 November 2004]

I watched "My Kingdom" on Pay-per-View. Luckily, I didn't pay for it, my friend did. How anyone can like this movie is beyond me. I like Shakespeare very much, and maybe even King Lear, but "My Kingdom" sucked. I am beginning to hate gangster movie, whether they are American or British. In this one, the plot is so confusing and some of the characters I couldn't figure out either. But I don't need to ask questions about the plot or the characters because I really don't care. I don't remember much about King Lear, I saw it a long time ago and obviously, this movie is much worse. It should have never been made in the first place. Lynn Redgrave was a total waste in that role. Yeah, and for those who liked the movie... well, just shoot me.

Good Gangster Film

[manson21 · 11 April 2003]

This film is about gangster in the mean streets of Liverpool about the ups and down of the underworld and one man who was at the top became bottom after what the family did to him. There is some nice acting northing really bloody in the film but can't understand why its an 18 and over to watched this film but anyway it had a fine cast but really felt sorry for the little boy.

I did find Sexy Beast alot better then this but My Kingdom is worth watching and mostly BRITISH GANGSTER FILMS ARE ALOT BETTER THEN AMERICAN GANGSTER FILMS

Give this film 5/10

A Funny Melodrama at Places. And Just Funny at Others !

[elshikh4 · 20 November 2009]

I couldn't understand why the wife turned the mugger's gun aside from her to her husband's face? I couldn't understand how the child grandson was the computer Warlock of the gang?!! I couldn't believe how eccentric the lead's monologue was in the restaurant! And I couldn't have any enjoyment out of this "King Lear" in the first place!!

The ambition was fine. A modern-day adaptation. A crime king instead of a king. And filthy rotten character for a filthy rotten world. But something was missing, or extra. I know that both ways, the movie was uninteresting and heavy.

It's a dark movie. However, its characters were talking like they were from another world. The tragedy hasn't been treated well to be something as (The Godfather), or smart apart. Simply the shadows of the real play were bigger than the case which the script selected, so the movie lived a killer irony.

The artistic points managed to portray effective sense of grief, but they didn't make up for the lost credibility, and gave the movie even more outlandish feel. (My Kingdom) is sometimes too theatrical to be believed, too gloomy to be attractive, and too silly to be re-watched again!

It's not a great tragedy. Not a great crime film. Maybe the average both yet with an odd character that pushes it even to the weak side. In any event.. I hated it!

not happy-- spoiler ?

[onesingh · 12 June 2006]

Well i can understand why this film was a flop. The acting was sometimes pathetic.. even my next door neighbour could have acted better how ever I'm sure with a bit more thought the acting could have been better, I'm sure don Boyd is not a complete novice at capturing scenes as shown in this film. The opportunities to adapt Shakespeare in a modern film are endless and unfortunately this film does not do justice to Shakespeare. Unfortunately the character of Jimi Mistry showed that the director did not bother to get expert advice on the Sikh religion and instead went on peoples interpretations of the Sikh religion namely Jimi Mistry's as hinted by the commentary option on the DVD. e.g it is sin full for a Sikh to remove the turban in public/ do criminal actions with a turban. I'm sure the very reason why sikhs wear turbans is so that when they are seen doing good/bad actions they can easily be identified as sikhs. many sikhs i know did not like the light that sikhs were shown in this movie. particularly since bollywood has attacked the identity of sikhs. sikhs r not happy with this movie.

I'm sure people with a good imagination could have thought of many ways to improve this movie- oh well.. what can you do?