IMDb 7.2 2004 HD

Layer Cake

Layer Cake

2004
Crime Drama Thriller
105 min R United Kingdom
6.91 / 10
7.2 IMDB

When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Matthew Vaughn / Mary Haddow / Michael Elliott / Anthony Wilcox / Samar Pollitt
Starring
Daniel Craig / Sienna Miller / Tom Hardy / Colm Meaney / George Harris / Sally Hawkins / Kenneth Cranham / Jamie Foreman

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

compelling stylish intricate tense intelligent well-acted complex engaging gritty modern sharp suspenseful

Reviews

S
Sophia Chen
May 8, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

Layer Cake offers a stylish journey into the British criminal landscape, featuring a standout performance from Daniel Craig. His portrayal of XXXX is nuanced, capturing the character's desperation as his plans unravel. The film’s tone is appropriately gritty,…

J
Julian Finch
May 8, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A truly exceptional piece of filmmaking, Layer Cake is a masterclass in suspense and narrative construction. Daniel Craig delivers a star-making turn, embodying the cool pragmatism of a man pushed to his limits. The film’s direction is sharp…

I
Isabelle Dubois
May 8, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Layer Cake presents an intelligent, if somewhat familiar, take on the underworld. Daniel Craig anchors the film with a compelling, understated performance as a man caught in a web of his own making. The plot, while intricate, occasionally…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 8, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This is the kind of crime film that makes you sit up and pay attention. Layer Cake offers a tightly wound narrative, propelled by Daniel Craig's magnetic performance as a drug dealer whose exit strategy goes spectacularly wrong.…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 8, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

Layer Cake arrives with a sharp, modern edge, sidestepping the usual clichés of the British gangster genre. Daniel Craig is superb as XXXX, a man attempting to exit the criminal life only to be drawn deeper into its…

FAQs

Layer Cake strikes a sophisticated and often tense tone, blending elements of a stylish thriller with the grit of a crime drama. It maintains a sense of urgency and suspense throughout, driven by the protagonist's escalating predicament. The film avoids excessive melodrama, opting for a more measured yet compelling atmosphere. There's an underlying intelligence to its narrative, which contributes to its overall polished and mature feel.