Circus (2000 film)
Encyclopedia
Circus is a 2000 British
crime
thriller movie
directed by Rob Walker and written by David Logan
. The movie stars John Hannah
, Famke Janssen
, Peter Stormare
, Brian Conley
, and Eddie Izzard
. It was released in the UK on May 5, 2000 and had its USA (limited) release on September 15, 2000.
Bruno (Brian Conley) is having a problem with his casino losing money. He wants Leo to run it. But in reality, he hates Leo and wants to get rid of him.
Further complicating Leo's life is Julius (Peter Stormare) who has asked Leo to kill his wife, Gloria. Only when it comes time to be paid, Julius, who has Leo committing the murder on tape, confesses he doesn't have a wife; he paid a woman to pretend to be his wife. Julius wants 500,000 in pounds, otherwise he will release the tape to the authorities.
Then Moose shows up and He is looking for a woman who is the love of his life. Her name is Gloria. He asks if Leo could help him find her and Leo reluctantly agrees.
Finally there's Troy, a loan shark. Leo owes him a lot of money, but he's lost it all at the track. Troy is getting increasingly impatient and violent as he doesn't like to be kept waiting on his money.
Evidence is piling up that Lily is working a con on Leo. With all of these problems, it doesn't look as if Leo will survive the week.
Bruno's in trouble with the Inland Revenue, so his accountant, Julius, comes up with an idea to con Lily by turning all of Bruno's shipping company over to her, while Bruno pockets a cool $20 million. Only the problem is that Leo has got to Julius first and worked out a con of his own. Together Julius and Leo staged Gloria's murder.
Leo goes to meet Julius with the blackmail money. Bruno has men with guns waiting, but Moose shows up to even out the fight. A bloodbath ensues and Julius, the only survivor, tells the tale to Bruno.
Only Leo is not dead, and he leaves a recording that Lily finds and then shows to Bruno. Leo figured out that Lily was conning him and he confesses that he stole Bruno's money. An enraged Lily and Bruno go to find Julius and catch him as he is splitting town. But then Leo shows up wanting to kill Bruno.
Bruno says that Leo can't possibly kill him because he'd have to kill his wife also. Reluctantly Leo agrees... and shots Lily. Then he convinces Julius that the only way they can be partners is if he kills Bruno, so that they have a murder each on their hands. Julius doesn't mean to, but the gun goes off and Bruno is dead.
During their getaway, Julius begins to feel odd. Leo confesses that he slipped a sedative into Julius' drink. He leaves a drugged Julius by the side of the road as he makes his way to the train station. There he meets up with someone—Lily.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
crime
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
thriller movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Rob Walker and written by David Logan
David Logan
David Logan may refer to:* David Logan * Dave Logan , former NFL wide receiver* David Logan , former NFL defensive lineman...
. The movie stars John Hannah
John Hannah (actor)
John David Hannah is a Scottish actor of film and television. He has appeared in Stephen Sommers' Mummy Series, Richard Curtis' Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow...
, Famke Janssen
Famke Janssen
Famke Beumer Janssen is a Dutch actress and former fashion model. She is known for playing the villainous Bond girl Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye and Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men film series .- Early life and education :...
, Peter Stormare
Peter Stormare
is a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
, Brian Conley
Brian Conley
Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
, and Eddie Izzard
Eddie Izzard
Edward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
. It was released in the UK on May 5, 2000 and had its USA (limited) release on September 15, 2000.
Plot
Leo (John Hannah) and Lily (Famke Janssen) are a couple and a couple of con artists. Lily wants to get out of the racket and settle down in a nice place somewhere far away. Leo agrees saying that within a week they should have enough to leave for good.Bruno (Brian Conley) is having a problem with his casino losing money. He wants Leo to run it. But in reality, he hates Leo and wants to get rid of him.
Further complicating Leo's life is Julius (Peter Stormare) who has asked Leo to kill his wife, Gloria. Only when it comes time to be paid, Julius, who has Leo committing the murder on tape, confesses he doesn't have a wife; he paid a woman to pretend to be his wife. Julius wants 500,000 in pounds, otherwise he will release the tape to the authorities.
Then Moose shows up and He is looking for a woman who is the love of his life. Her name is Gloria. He asks if Leo could help him find her and Leo reluctantly agrees.
Finally there's Troy, a loan shark. Leo owes him a lot of money, but he's lost it all at the track. Troy is getting increasingly impatient and violent as he doesn't like to be kept waiting on his money.
Evidence is piling up that Lily is working a con on Leo. With all of these problems, it doesn't look as if Leo will survive the week.
Bruno's in trouble with the Inland Revenue, so his accountant, Julius, comes up with an idea to con Lily by turning all of Bruno's shipping company over to her, while Bruno pockets a cool $20 million. Only the problem is that Leo has got to Julius first and worked out a con of his own. Together Julius and Leo staged Gloria's murder.
Leo goes to meet Julius with the blackmail money. Bruno has men with guns waiting, but Moose shows up to even out the fight. A bloodbath ensues and Julius, the only survivor, tells the tale to Bruno.
Only Leo is not dead, and he leaves a recording that Lily finds and then shows to Bruno. Leo figured out that Lily was conning him and he confesses that he stole Bruno's money. An enraged Lily and Bruno go to find Julius and catch him as he is splitting town. But then Leo shows up wanting to kill Bruno.
Bruno says that Leo can't possibly kill him because he'd have to kill his wife also. Reluctantly Leo agrees... and shots Lily. Then he convinces Julius that the only way they can be partners is if he kills Bruno, so that they have a murder each on their hands. Julius doesn't mean to, but the gun goes off and Bruno is dead.
During their getaway, Julius begins to feel odd. Leo confesses that he slipped a sedative into Julius' drink. He leaves a drugged Julius by the side of the road as he makes his way to the train station. There he meets up with someone—Lily.
Cast
- Leo - John HannahJohn Hannah (actor)John David Hannah is a Scottish actor of film and television. He has appeared in Stephen Sommers' Mummy Series, Richard Curtis' Four Weddings and a Funeral and Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow...
- Lily - Famke JanssenFamke JanssenFamke Beumer Janssen is a Dutch actress and former fashion model. She is known for playing the villainous Bond girl Xenia Onatopp in GoldenEye and Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men film series .- Early life and education :...
- Julius - Peter StormarePeter Stormareis a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
- Troy - Eddie IzzardEddie IzzardEdward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
- Elmo - Fred WardFred WardFreddie Joe "Fred" Ward is an American actor. He began his career in 1979 alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz. He is best known for his starring roles in the motion pictures Remo Williams, Tremors, Henry & June, Short Cuts, The Right Stuff and Exit Speed...
- Bruno - Brian ConleyBrian ConleyBrian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
- Moose - Tom Lister Jr.
- Gloria - Amanda DonohoeAmanda DonohoeAmanda Donohoe is an English film and television actress. She is known for her 1980s relationship with popstar Adam Ant and her later work on television — including L.A. Law and Emmerdale — and her roles in successful movies including Liar, Liar.-Early life:Donohoe was born in London, the daughter...
- Caspar - Ian Burfield
- Roscoe - Neil StukeNeil StukeNeil Stuke , is an English actor notable for playing Matthew in the second and third series of Game On after taking over the role from Ben Chaplin,and for his role as Billy Lamb, Head Clerk in the 2011 BBC television series "Silk"...
- Magnus - Michael AttwellMichael AttwellMichael John Attwell was an English actor.He is possibly best known for his role as Kenny Beale in the television soap opera EastEnders....
- Dom - Jason WatkinsJason Watkins (actor)Jason Watkins , is an award-nominated British stage, film and television actor.-Career:Since training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he has established himself as a stage actor, and is a member of the National Theatre company....
- Arnie - Christopher BigginsChristopher BigginsChristopher Kenneth Biggins is an English actor and media personality.-Career:Biggins was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England and brought up in Salisbury, Wiltshire, where he took elocution lessons and participated in local drama groups...
- One-time BritishUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
R'n'BRhythm and bluesRhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer, Hinda HicksHinda HicksHinda Hicks is a Tunisian born singer, with British nationality having moved to West Sussex as a child.-Introduction:Hicks originally sang with an R&B band called the Fabulous Fug Band and at one time sent a demo of her vocals alongside Aretha Franklin's "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" to Phil...
, had a small cameo role as 'Kelly', a jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer.