Played (film)
| Played | |
|---|---|
 Played DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Sean Stanek |
| Written by | Sean Stanek Mick Rossi |
| Produced by | Caspar von Winterfeldt Mick Rossi Nick Simunek |
| Starring | Gabriel Byrne Val Kilmer Adam Fogerty Vinnie Jones Joanne Whalley Patsy Kensit Bruno Kirby Sile Bermingham Anthony LaPaglia |
| Cinematography | Michael Pavlisan Sean Stanek |
| Edited by | Matthew Booth Jonathan Brayley Tom McGah Benjamin Pollack |
| Music by | Danny Saber |
| Distributed by | Lions Gate Entertainment |
Release dates | December, 2006 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Played is a 2006 crime film produced by Caspar von Winterfeldt, Nick Simunek and Mick Rossi, written by Sean Stanek and Mick Rossi and directed by Sean Stanek. The film stars Val Kilmer, Gabriel Byrne, Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, Joanne Whalley, Bruno Kirby, Anthony LaPaglia, Roy Dotrice, Patsy Kensit, Andy Nyman and introduced Mick Rossi in his first major feature film role.
Originally intended to be a short, the film was shot without the use of a scripted screenplay and the director (Sean Stanek) allowed the actors to improvise a majority of dialogue as he shot the scenes. The picture was shot on location in London and Los Angeles and took three years to complete.
Plot
The story opens in Los Angeles with Dillon (Val Kilmer) who receives a phone call from Ray Burns (Mick Rossi) who has just been shot and desperately needs help. Dillon is a cleaner for Eddie (Gabriel Byrne) and has been sent to assist Ray should he require it. After a colorful opening title sequence which follows Dillon's drive to the house, he finds Ray almost bleeding to death on a sofa. After removing all of the evidence, Dillon leaves carrying Ray to his car but not before he torches the house and destroys and traces of Ray having been there. As Dillon and Ray drive away, Dillon struggles to keep Ray conscious and relates to him a story which coins the catch-phrase of the motion picture "Don't Taco Ray! Don't Taco".
The story then transitions to eight years earlier and introduces Riley (Patrick Bergin) as he admires some artwork in a London gallery. His phone rings and Detective Brice (Vinnie Jones) informs Riley that there is a shipment of heroine coming in and that Riley should get a team together to heist the merchandise for him. Riley agrees to the job and tell Brice that he has just the man to do it namely petty thief Ray Burns. Riley gives a menacing stare to the Gallery attendant (Caspar von Winterfeldt) in one of the films funnier moments before leaving to meet with Ray.
After they discuss the details of the job at hand, Ray agrees to do the heist and meets up with his team which consists of Nathan (Sean Power) and Terry Rawlings (Trevor Nugent) son of infamous moblord Jack Rawlings (Roy Dotrice). They are also joined by Terry's girlfriends Cindy (Patsy Kensit). Together they begin plotting the raid and shortly after they embark on the robbery. Nathan has been dispatched to the roof as lookout and Ray and Terry break into the warehouse to steal the heroine shipment. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, Nathan loses his footing and tumbles to his death thereby alerting the guards and triggering the alarm. Ray and Terry are startled but manage to escape in different directions oblivious to what has happenned to Nathan.
Shortly thereafter, Brice calls Riley to inform him that the heist went terribly wrong, that Nathan is dead. To cover his own tracks he tells Riley to find a scapegoat who responds by naming Ray Burns. He quickly gets to Terry who has the stolen package. Meanwhile Ray, who has gone into hiding tries to call Terry but doesn't get an answer so he turns to Riley to find out what happened. Riley tells him that Nathan is dead and that Scotland Yard is looking for Ray. He omits that Terry has handed over the package and that Brice is behind the whole heist. Ray , decides he needs to disappear for a while and attempts to go underground, but before he can do so the police pick him up on an anonymous tip-off which they received from Detective Brice. Ray pays the price for the robbery and the manslaughter of Nathan and is subsequently sentenced to eight years in prison.
He serves his time but has no contact with the outside world, denying even his closest lover and girlfriend Maggie (Joanne Whalley) a visit. He also learns by reading the paper that his best friend Terry has died from an overdose of drugs. This saddens him but also makes him vow for revenge when he finally gets out of prison.
While Ray is serving time, Riley and Brice continue their crooked ways, and Brice informs Riley that he has a video tape of London Charlie (Steve Jones) that could be worth some cash. He dispatches Riley to Los Angeles to blackmail London Charlie. Riley arrives in Los Angeles along with his girlfriend Samantha Fay (Sile Bermingham) in order to pick up the cash fro Brice. Meanhwile Ray is released from prison and contacted by London Charlie who realizes that the only way he can escape his dilema is to have Riley terminated. He knows Ray is out to avenge his time in prison and so pays him $100,000 to come to Los Angeles. Brice, aware of Ray's release and suspicious that he may be up to something, instructs an underling, Danny, (Andy Nyman) to keep an eye on him and find out what he can about his plans. Danny confronts Ray in a busy Lonbdon street and brings the situation to a head when he makes a comment about Ray's former girlfriend Maggie whom Ray has not seen since he went to prison. Ray gets angered and headbutts Danny telling him to leave him alone. Danny reports this back to Brice who doesn't believe that Ray is up to 'nothing'. Ray is then also contacted by Jack Rawlings, Terry's father who beckons him to come and visit. The two have a long talk about Terry and Ray tells Jack how sorry he is for Terry's death. Jack feigns compassion and tells Ray that he wants him to go after the guy who set them up, namely Riley, and gives him a contact in Los Angeles - Eddie (Gabriel Byrne) with whom he should liase to get the job done and rid the world of scum. Ray is to pick up $100,000 at Jack's club from Big Frankie (Adam Fogerty) and then get on a plane to Los Angeles to hunt Riley down. When Ray leaves Jack Rawlings' home, he doesn't see the sinister sneer that Jack gives him suggesting there maybe more in store for Ray than he bargained for.
Upon arrival Ray immediately visits London Charlie and viewers recognise that this is the house from the beginning of the film. Ray is told that there is $100,000 in a bag that he is to take to Riley and use to recover the tape. Once he has th tape, Ray is to kill Riley and bring the tape back to London Charlie. Ray leaves and begins to cover his tracks by checking into two seperate motels. He then makes a call to Eddie to pick up a car for use in Los Angeles. That night he picks up the car and meets Eddie who is waiting for him in the back seat. Eddie tells him there is a pistol in the glove box and that he doesn't want to get involved in any of the nasty business. Ray acknowledges the request and takes off into the night.
The next day Riley is waiting for a meeting with London Charlie for the exchange of cash against the video tape. He is surprised by Ray who shows up at his door carrying a bag of cash. Ray has hidden the pistol outside of the apartment and so is clean when he is frisked by Riley. The two have a heated discussion about what happened eight years ago and Riley makes light of Terry's death calling him a junkie. Ray is obviously upset but continues as a professional handing Riley the bag of money in exchange for the tape. Riley is irritated though because the deal he had made with London Charlie was for $200,000 and Ray only has half that in his bag. He tells him to leave and return with the remainder or there will be no exchange. Ray leaves the bag, exits the apartment, walks down to where he has hidden the pistol, cocks it, walks back, knocks and as Riley opens, he puts the gun in his face. Riley does not submit to Ray's demand for the tape and so Ray shoots him point blank in the head and chest. Riley is now dead.
Cast
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Development
Production
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Reception
Awards and Nominations
Award
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Marketing
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