Paul Kaye Movies
- 2008
Loosely based on a true story, director Jon S. Baird's Cass traces the evolution of one individual from an infant with slim prospects to one of the most respected and feared individuals in the United Kingdom. Nonso Alonzie stars as the title character, who begins life as a Jamaican baby bereft of his parents, but promptly witnesses his fate and future turn an unexpected corner with his adoption by an elderly Caucasian couple. Pummeled mercilessly and bullied with racist taunts as a boy, Cass instinctively takes matters into his own hands and thus discovers a source of power and control, in violent action, that he never knew he possessed. Eventually, however, this path comes back to bite him via a assassination attempt against him, that is - mercifully - unsuccessful. In time, Cass reaches a fork in the road, and must choose between continuing to embrace the violence that has shaped and colored his life, or opting for more controlled and thoughtful approach to conflict. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nonso Anozie, Natalie Press, (more)
- 2006
A seasoned gangland detective who always plays by the rules finds his integrity put to the ultimate test after he and his partner are drawn into a sadistic game of death. Ask any officer on the force about Detective Eddie Argo (Stellan Skarsgard), and odds are good they'll tell you he's one of few honest cops left in this lawless city. But recently Detective Argo and his rookie partner Helen (Melissa George) have become entangled in a gruesome series of murders targeting the city's most notorious gang members. As a result, the city is in a panic and Detective Argo is forced to revisit an old case that still haunts him to this day. Through it all, the killer remains steely in their determination to make Detective Argo pay for a past misdeed, and see how he responds when forced to place his life on the line for the sake of someone he loves. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stellan Skarsgård, Melissa George, (more)
- 2005
- R
A clandestine love affair sends one man's charmed life into a tailspin in this dark, disturbing drama written and directed by Woody Allen, his first film set and shot in Great Britain and one his few films sans any humor. Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) is an Irish tennis player with an impoverished background. Just accomplished enough to make his way onto the professional circuit, but not skilled enough to be a consistent winner, he now works as an instructor at a London tennis club. The wealthy Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), who is as impressed by Chris's charm and good looks as he is by his game, takes a tennis lesson from the young man. Chris's intelligence and wit also make a strong impression on Tom's pretty sister, Chloe (Emily Mortimer), who soon falls for him. It isn't long before Chris and Chloe are engaged to be married, a match that pleases both Tom and his father, Alec (Brian Cox), a successful businessman who believes Chris has a bright future in his firm. However, Chris also feels an overwhelming attraction to Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson), a sexy blonde from the United States who is dating Tom. Though Nola initially puts up some resistance, Chris gently nudges her in the direction of an affair. Passion soon ignites between the two, and they have a one-time sexual encounter, even as Chris and Chloe plan their wedding. Nola resists, however, when Chris makes additional attempts to wheedle her into bed. Nola drops out of Chris's life shortly before his wedding, but a chance meeting a few months later resurrects the relationship as Chris and Chloe try to start a family. Match Point received its world premiere in an enthusiastically received presentation at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, (more)
The rise, fall, and rebirth of a turntable master sets the stage for this comedy drama with elements of mockumentary. Frankie Wilde (Paul Kaye) is one of the world's leading dance music DJs; his sets in Ibiza are the stuff of legend, he commands a premium fee to spin in clubs around the world, he's in demand for his remixing skills, and he's launched a promising career as a recording artist. Frankie has a mansion, a beautiful wife, and a stepson, but there are a few other things that he also has -- a dangerous appetite for liquor and drugs, and a hearing problem that's getting worse. When Frankie's hearing begins to interfere with his work, his life and career go into a tailspin -- he becomes a sloppy, chemically imbalanced wreck, and his wife leaves him once the money begins to run out. Frankie is near the bottom of the barrel when he meets Penelope (Beatriz Batarda), a beautiful but hard-shelled woman who can stand up to Frankie's wild side while teaching him how to read lips and start life over again. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kaye, Beatriz Batarda, (more)
An elegant con-man adept at pulling off small-time swindles gets in over his head when a simple truck job inadvertently gets his crew involved in the black market immigrant trade in this stylish caper comedy that takes it's title from a British slang term for one who earns their keep through underhand dealings. Jack Pike (Ken Scott) can grift with the best of them. A lifelong criminal who gets by with a little help from his aimless brother-in-law Goat (Dominic Monaghan) and his faithful right-hand man Steve (Nick Moran), Pike has established himself as a virtual underworld aristocrat. When he agrees to partake in what appears to be a by-the-books truck job with his alluring rival Jenny (Kate Ashfield) and ends up with two Albanian children on his hands, however, double cons turn to triple crosses in a deadly game where survival, not money, is the only true sign of success. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Stott, Nick Moran, (more)
It's the weight of tradition versus youthful vigor when loudmouth Torquay lawn bowling superstar Cliff Starkey (Paul Kaye) catches wind of an upcoming championship match between England and heated rivals Australia. He's determined to make the national team in a bid to bring his sport-of-choice into the new millennium. Quickly acquiring a flashy American agent (Vince Vaughn) and becoming the most popular player in England, Cliff vows to dethrone traditionalist champion Ray Speight (James Cromwell), who has made no secret his hatred of Cliff's brash showmanship. When Cliff starts seeing Ray's daughter, the competition really begins to heat up. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kaye, James Cromwell, (more)
- 2002
A variation on the old To Tell the Truth format, the British game show Liar tested the contestants' ability to prevaricate at great length. On each episode, six different people all claimed to be the same person; one, of course, was the person in question, while the others were liars. The members of the studio audience then had to guess which of the six was telling the truth. For every correct guess, each member of the audience was given a prize of 50 pounds; if a contestant successfully stumped the audience, he or she went home with 10,000 pounds. Created by Harry Thompson and hosted by Paul Kaye, Liar first aired in 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kaye
- 2001
Irreverent British comedian Paul Kaye unexpectedly turned out to be a credible romantic leading man on the BBC1 comedy-drama series 2000 Acres of Sky. The setting was the Scottish island of Ronansay, which housed a bed-and-breakfast and a small school, but little else. When the authorities threatened to close the school because it was two students shy of the required quota, the locals advertised in the London papers for a married-with-children couple to move to Ronansay and take charge of the "B and B." Although Abby Wallace (Michelle Collins) had the necessary two kids, she was bereft of a husband. Still, she needed the income, thus Abby persuaded her friend Kenny Marsh (Paul Kaye) to pose as her hubby and move with her to Ronansay. The first of the series' six 50-minute episodes was telecast on January 1, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michelle Collins, Paul Kaye, (more)
- 1996
By the time this "highlights" series made its BBC bow on August 6, 1996, British comedian Paul Kaye was already well into his alter-ego characterization Dennis Pennis, who specialized in gate-crashing important show-business events and ambushing celebrities with stupid and inane questions. Dennis Pennis had in fact become a fixture on The Sunday Show, from which this limited comedy series was compiled. Telecast in three 30-minute dollops, Very Important Pennis was seen again on August 16, 1996 and finally on June 6, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Kaye
