RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Layer Cake
Layer Cake

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Layer Cake (2005)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
80 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:128

Fresh:103

Rotten:25

Average Rating:7.1/10

Consensus: A stylized, electric British crime thriller.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong brutal violence, sexuality, nudity, pervasive language and drug use.

Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:May 13, 2005 Limited

Box Office: $2,277,736

Synopsis: LAYER CAKE, a riveting thriller set in the drug underworld of the UK, marks the directorial debut of producer Mathew Vaughn (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) and stars Daniel Craig, Colm... LAYER CAKE, a riveting thriller set in the drug underworld of the UK, marks the directorial debut of producer Mathew Vaughn (Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) and stars Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, George Harris, Jamie Foreman, Sienna Miller and Michael Gambon. Sleek, well dressed and polite, our unnamed hero (Daniel Craig) is a consummate professional. Treating cocaine and ecstasy like any other commodity, he has made a fortune for himself by keeping his hands clean and staying under the radar. Having made the decision to retire, his aim is to break free from the world of crime, drugs and violence and live a simple, quiet life with the money he has amassed. But before this can happen, crime boss Jimmy Price (Kenneth Cranham) wants two last favors from him. First, he must track down the missing, drug addict daughter of powerful criminal Eddie Temple (Michael Gambon). Second, he must negotiate the sale of a huge shipment of ecstasy with The Duke (Jamie Foreman), a loose cannon petty crook playing well out of his league. What should be routine transaction is anything but and nothing goes according to plan. Instead, duplicity and hidden alliances become the order of the day, in a struggle for power that reaches from the crack dens of London to the highest ranks of British society. Quickly he learns he is part of a machine much greater than he imagined, and getting out won't be quite as easy as getting in. Sony Pictures Classics presents a Matthew Vaughn Production, LAYER CAKE, starring Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, George Harris, Jamie Foreman, Sienna Miller and Michael Gambon. Written by author J.J. Connolly (adapted from his novel of the same name), the film is produced by Vaughn, David Reid and Adam Bohling. The Executive Producer is Stephen Marks, Director of Photography is Ben Davis, Editor is Jon Davis and Production Designer is Kave Quinn. [More]

Starring: Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, George Harris, Jamie Foreman

Starring: Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, George Harris, Jamie Foreman, Sienna Miller, Michael Gambon, Kenneth Cranham, Marcel Iures, Tom Hardy, Tamer Hassan, Sally Hawkins

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Screenwriter: J.J. Connolly
Producer: Matthew Vaughn, David Reid, Adam Bohling
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Layer Cake Trailer
    >
1 of 1

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Mar 13, 2007

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Layer Cake

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

There's plenty to enjoy with this piece of Cake.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
05/13/05
E! Online

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine

[Craig] is a great anti-hero, tough yet vulnerable, conflicted and amused, sincere and scared, without a hint of any of it on his sleeve.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
05/19/05
Allison Benedikt
Allison Benedikt
Chicago Tribune

Proudly retro ... serves as a sharp reminder of the gory glory days.

Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | comment Comment
05/26/05
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

The cast is uniformly good...but Vaughn is much too enamored of trick transitions

Full Review Source: Los Angeles CityBeat | comment Comment
05/13/05
Andy Klein
Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

A masterly, intricately plotted crime story.

Full Review Source: Arizona Republic | comment Comment
06/02/05
Bill Muller
Bill Muller
Arizona Republic
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Gets by courtesy of a fierce, wounded performance by Craig, whose icy blue eyes and serene pragmatism offer a convincing ballast to Layer Cake’s pop violence.

Full Review Source: Now Playing Magazine | comment Comment
05/20/05
Brent Simon
Brent Simon
Now Playing Magazine

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
06/04/05
Brian Marder
Brian Marder
Hollywood.com

This isn’t the real British underworld, and it's not supposed to be. This is a highly stylized and ultra-hip British underworld – and it’s entertaining as hell.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
05/09/05
Brian Mckay
Brian Mckay
eFilmCritic.com

A corrosive confection of style and bile, its gleaming, butter cream-frosted contours not really concealing the crumbs who have curdled British society with their drugs.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
05/19/05
Bruce Newman
Bruce Newman
San Jose Mercury News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Marks an impressive directing debut by Matthew Vaughn, Guy Ritchie's producer on Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch.

Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
06/03/05
Carla Meyer
Carla Meyer
Sacramento Bee

The [crap] may be out of control, but director Matthew Vaughn is firmly in it.

Full Review Source: AboutFilm.com | comment Comment
02/16/05
Carlo Cavagna
Carlo Cavagna
AboutFilm.com

Although ultimately no less artificial than hyperactive laddie gangster flicks like Snatch ... just an uncommonly good one.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
04/28/05
Chris Barsanti
Chris Barsanti
Film Threat

Layer Cake has sizzle, but it also offers plenty of steak.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
05/26/05
Chris Vognar
Chris Vognar
Dallas Morning News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

"Layer Cake" is a stylized British noir full of clever twists, biting dialogue, and plenty of ironic violence.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
07/02/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

In the end, Layer Cake serves up the just desserts.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
05/26/05
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune

If XXXX were not Daniel Craig, the film's clever plotting and imaging would overwhelm him.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
05/28/05
Cynthia Fuchs
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters

Clean, crisp and gratifying, you'd be hard pressed to find a better British film this year.

Full Review Source: FilmFocus | comment Comment
07/05/05
Dan Chant
Dan Chant
FilmFocus

...a delicious crime melodrama, with colorful characters, lots of action and violence, double and triple crosses, and a few fresh surprises of its own.

Full Review Source: Worcester Telegram & Gazette | comment Comment
06/19/05
Daniel M. Kimmel
Daniel M. Kimmel
Worcester Telegram & Gazette

A virile British bounce off the Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee films and some hyper-hip TV shows.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
05/20/05
David Elliott
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by fresh rating)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
all

Latest News for Layer Cake

December 17, 2007: RT on DVD: The Simpsons, Stardust, and More!
This week the shelves are packed, and just in time for the holidays! Check out the long-awaited big-screen debut of Springfield's finest (The Simpsons Movie), Matthew Vaughn's... More...

August 08, 2007: Matthew Vaughn To Helm Thor
Ain't It Cool News recently caught up with director Matthew Vaughn for a chat about projects past (Layer Cake), present (Stardust), and future -- including a possible film... More...

June 14, 2007: Another Superhero Movie! "Thor" is Coming!
He's a Norse god with a giant hammer. Bring on the bad guys! More...

March 22, 2007: RT-UK Exclusive: Edit Suite Report and New Pics for "Stardust"
In an otherwise unremarkable office building in London's trendy Soho, the clichés are out in force; magic is being made, fantasies are coming to life and dreams are being... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
14% 14% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Total Recall

Total Recall

John Travolta's top reviewed movies

Disney Countdown

Disney Countdown

Look back on Disney's best animated movies!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

What's Coming Out

What's Coming Out

Find movies for the holiday weekend!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Weekly Ketchup: Zombieland 2 in 3D?
51
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
24
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
48
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
26
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
128
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
181
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
92
  • Ban Them All! 10 Infamously Controversial Movies
77
  • Friday Harvest: The Road, Avatar, and more!
76
  • 5 Facts About The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
69
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
45
  • WB offers DVD to Blu-ray Trade-In Program
33
  • RT's Blu-ray Picks from WB
22
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
22
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Angels & Demons, Funny People, and Superman
19
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
16
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
11
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
21
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
21
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Layer Cake at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Layer Cake at IGN
  • Layer Cake at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Animated Oscar?
Animated Oscar? External Link

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

TIME's Holiday Movie Preview
TIME's Holiday Movie Preview External Link

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

Scenic Routes
Scenic Routes External Link

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.