“Being patient doesn’t get you what you want, does it?” —Reggie Kray
Today’s quick review: Legend. Reggie Kray (Tom Hardy) and his twin brother Ron (Tom Hardy) are on their way to the top. Already respected gangsters in London’s East End, the brothers are poised to drive out their rivals and expand their operation into the rest of the city. There are just two obstacles standing in their way: Ron’s unstable temper, and Reggie’s relationship with Frances (Emily Browning), who wants him to give up his life of crime.
Legend is a crime drama set in London in the 1960s. Tom Hardy stars as a pair of twins out to make their mark on the city. Reggie has the looks, the charm, and the business sense to take their operation to new heights, but Ron’s mental instability make him as much a threat to their empire as to their enemies. Legend is a tightly constructed tale of criminal ambition, brotherly loyalty, and the mistakes that threaten to tear it all apart.
The core of the movie is a pair of convincing performances from Tom Hardy. Reggie and Ron are multifaceted characters who strike the right balance for a crime movie: dangerous enough to respect, but not utterly beyond redemption. Their personal foibles, hands-on approach to problem-solving, and differing views on how to manage their empire make for a compelling story. Legend also does a good job of making sure its pieces fit together properly.
Still, Legend does not have as much of an impact as the greats of the genre. The complicated relationship between Reggie and Ron can only take the movie so far. While the story goes to some powerful places, it ends with the abruptness often seen in crime movies based on true events. And although Legend comes close to the kind of thematically potent writing seen in the best crime genre, it’s missing the extra push it needs to make it truly memorable.
Legend is a solidly executed crime drama with potent subject matter, well-drawn characters, and the types of details that fans will appreciate. While it falls short of the high bar set by the most iconic films in the crime genre, it remains a worthwhile pick for anyone in the mood for a criminal biography with a bit of spectacle to it.
For a farther-reaching crime drama in the same vein, try The Godfather or Casino. For a similarly personal tale about an arms dealer, try Lord of War. For a more upbeat tale of crime and ambition set in modern London, try The Gentlemen. For a somewhat shakier crime drama based on related events, try Once Upon a Time in London. For a biographical crime drama of similar caliber, try Public Enemies.
6.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for robust characters and a suitably dramatic story.