Brighton Rock

Storyline: Charts the headlong fall of Pinkie, a razor-wielding disadvantaged teenager with a religious death wish.

“His fingers pinched her wrist. “You’re green,” he said again. He was working himself into a little sensual rage, as he had done with the soft kids at the council school. “You don’t know anything,” he said, with contempt in his nails.
“Oh no,” she protested. “I know a lot.”

The Boy grinned at her, “Not a thing,” pinching the skin of her wrist until his nails nearly met. “You’d like me for your boy, eh? We’ll keep company?”

“Oh,” she said, “I’d love it.” Tears of pride and pain pricked behind her lids. “If you like doing that,” she said, “go on.””
— Graham Greene,Brighton Rock

This is one of my favorite Graham Greene novels. In fact, Pinkie is one of my all time favorite characters, but it you were to watch this film..you'd find him plain evil and awful wicked. You just don't get the complex feel of this youth and how he gets by.

Originally, the story takes place in the 30's in Brighton Rock sort of England's Jersey shore. It is a story about small town gangsters. The first version of the film came out in 1947. Then this past year or so came out a new version starring Helen Mirren and Sam Riley as Pinkie.

This time the story is set in the 60's and more of a look of what was happening to the youth in England at that time and all the riots going on. This definitely gives a new feel to the movie and there were plenty of scenes that I did enjoy..especially involving all those scooters.

I thought the cinematography was great, as well. Also the actor who plays Rose (Andrea Riseborough) give off a definite Helen Mirren vibe, as if you are looking at a flashback of Mirren's character Ida who probably did survive the 30's the hard way and she goes to great lengths to save Rose from Pinkie.

In the book..one wonders if Pinkie is into females at all. He is rather priestly in how he goes about his daily life, but Rose is an unexpected threat. Does she know what he did? And how far will he go to make sure she won't testify against him.

Naturally, Rose is a gullible girl. Although, in the book I thought of her as a more ditzy Juno Temple who was fun and found everything amusing. While this Rose is lost and frightened of every little thing. Especially, her father. And to her, Pinkie is a savior of sorts. But what she doesn't know, he can't stand her at all.

In the end this is more of a strong feminist role which Mirren gladly takes the helm. And the last little bit, well..it sums it up perfectly. So if you want to watch a film about the 60's in England, then definitely its one with the era of what was happening in the country. Its more or less a story colliding with the bigger story of that time.

On one hand, it was definitely extra-ordinary. Yet, if you loved the book, you won't love this movie, either.

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