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| Tom Hardy as The Kray Twins |
The modestly entertaining, well-acted crime drama "Legend" is an uneven, flawed look at actual gangsters in London. Directed and written by Brian Helgeland, the Oscar-winning writer of "L.A. Confidential" and "Mystic River," the movie has some narrative and tonal issues, but benefits from the superb performance of its lead actor. The movie tells the true story of the rise and fall of London's most notorious and dangerous gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray, (both portrayed by Tom Hardy) who were perpetrators of organized crime in the East End of London in the 1950s and 60s. If it weren't for Hardy's engaging turn as the Kray's, "Legend" wouldn't be as near as compelling. There are a number of flaws with the narrative, especially when it meanders in the second act with various subplots involving Reggie's brief marriage to Francis (the lovely Emily Browning from "The Host"), diluting the more interesting crime saga this was meant to be. Helgeland takes considerable cinematic license with the Kray's story, overstating Francis' role in the twins lives (in reality the marriage lasted only 6 weeks) and in one of the movie's more confusing points, has her narrating the story. What could've been a dark and gritty tour de force seems a little tame, enhanced by the strong, albeit often hammy turn from Hardy as both twins; on this note, while Hardy is excellent Helgeland doesn't seamlessly integrate their scenes together from a technical standpoint, often awkwardly having them on separate ends of the room or in different scenes altogether, detracting from the impact and flow of the movie. "Legend" is a bit of a disappointment, but is held together by the always watchable Hardy, who seems to have fun as the twins with two very different approaches to crime and business.
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