Sam Riley Movies
British actor Sam Riley premiered onscreen with a much-coveted lead, and a professionally demanding one at that: the biographical portrayal of controversial, ill-fated post-punk singer Ian Curtis, in photographer-turned-director Anton Corbijn's haunting biopic Control (2007). Riley's courageous and disciplined performance earned a myriad of advance praises when the film swept through the festival circuit, foreshadowing an eminently successful career for the young thespian. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
13 Tzameti (2005) writer/director Géla Babluani gives his critically lauded thriller an English-language makeover in this remake featuring Mickey Rourke and Jason Statham. Handyman Vince Ferro (Sam Riley) is in a serious financial bind, and he decides to steal a mysterious envelope containing a lucrative job offer. Posing as the client he stole it from, Vince quickly finds himself participating in a bizarre game of Russian roulette in which degenerate gamblers wager on life and death. The rules are simple: Each participant loads a single bullet into a revolver, spins the chamber, and points it at another man's head. When the light bulb in the center of the room turns on, each contestant pulls the trigger. The players who survive live to play another round as the stakes get progressively higher. Should anyone attempt to escape, they're shot on sight. With a little luck, perhaps Vince can live through the game and collect a big-enough payout to solve all of his problems. Ray Winstone, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Michael Shannon, and Alexander Skarsgard co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sam Riley, Mickey Rourke, (more)
Screenwriter Rowan Joffe makes his feature directorial debut with this adaptation of author Graham Greene's 1939 novel about an ambitious British gangster who will stop at nothing in his quest for ultimate power. Britain, 1964: Pinkie (Sam Riley) is well on his way to becoming one of the most powerful figures in the British underworld when naïve waitress Rose (Andrea Riseborough) links him to a brutal murder. In order to ensure that Rose remains silent about the crime, Pinkie seduces her, and begins tracking her every move. John Hurt, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, and Oscar winner Helen Mirren co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Helen Mirren
Director/screenwriter Gerald McMorrow makes his feature debut with this ambitious psychological sci-fi drama set between contemporary London and the dystopic Meanwhile City, where the separation between church and state has been obliterated to make way for a religion-dominated society. As atheist vigilante Jonathan Preest (Ryan Phillippe) prepares to seek revenge against Meanwhile City's powerful leader, privileged artist Emilia (Eva Green) finds her cynicism and depression accelerated by the difficult relationship she shares with her mother. Meanwhile, sensitive Milo (Sam Riley) attempts to recover from a recent heartache, just as deeply religious Peter (Bernard Hill) arrives in London to search for his missing son, a haunted Gulf War veteran. As the narrative shifts between the real and imaginary worlds, McMorrow explores the complex relationships between fantasy, faith, and love. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Eva Green, Ryan Phillippe, (more)
Prolific music-video helmer and award-winning photographer Anton Corbijn makes his feature directorial debut with this biographical drama concerning the late Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. Based on the book Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis & Joy Division by the enigmatic singer's wife Deborah Curtis, Control documents the life of a legend who changed the face of modern music but never lived to witness the remarkable impact of his life's work. The time was the late 1970s, and the post-punk explosion was just gaining momentum in England. At the forefront of this movement was a band named Joy Division. Formed in 1976 and first calling themselves Warsaw, Joy Division favored mood and expression over the aggressive stance that had come to define punk rock. The band was championed by Factory Records founder Tony Wilson, and collaborated with producer Martin Hannett on the album that would become their undisputed masterpiece -- 1979's Unknown Pleasures. But despite the band's rising popularity, lead singer Curtis was not in good mental or physical health due a debilitating battle with epilepsy and an extramarital affair, and hanged himself in his Macclesfield home on the eve of the band's first U.S. tour. Newcomer Sam Riley stars opposite Samantha Morton in the film that sets out to tell the definitive story of a true rock & roll legend. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Samantha Morton, Sam Riley, (more)
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