Gangster No. 1

Gangster No. 1 is a surprising little movie about the British mob in the late sixties.  It's a violent movie, but not a gory movie.  There's blood and violence, but not the slasher type where you can base your medical mid-terms on watching someone get gutted onscreen.

I had never heard of it.  It was just one of the free streaming movies in Netflix.  So I gave it a look.  Two actors play the main character at different points in his life (one being Malcolm McDowell).  And that character is a violent psycho.

If you liked Clockwork Orange, you'll probably like this.  It has the same sort of feel.  I enjoyed it.

3.8 out of 5 stars

Plot Summary
This story follows the violent rise and fall of the title character, an unnamed East End London thug (played by Paul Bettany and, at a later age, Malcolm McDowell) who gets hired by high-profile gangster Freddie Mays (David Thewlis). The eager young gun -- an irredeemable, inhumane psychopath obsessed with power -- eventually replaces his boss as top gangster by way of lies, manipulation and murder.