Search The Archive
Made between Out of Sight and this years smash Erin Brokovich, Steven Soderbergh's The Limey is a real find. Terence Stamp (Wall Street, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert) is the 'Limey' - American slang for an Englishman. Fresh out of jail, he travels to America after hearing his daughter has committed suicide. Determined to discover the truth, he embarks on a vengeful quest, becoming embroiled in the LA Underworld along the way. However, after nine years behind bars, he discovers modern crime is not for him. Alone and with no contacts, his obsessive journey is fraught with danger and confrontation.
Soderbergh uses flashbacks and flashforwards, with images as much from imagination as from memory. Like The Usual Suspects, we question what we are seeing. Terence Stamp gives an unforgettable performance as the outsider and is ably backed up by fellow 60s cultural icon Peter Fonda. Made with great craftsmanship, The Limey is a rare film—a superbly realised action thriller with intelligence.