Before Daniel Craig was James Bond, he starred in Layer Cake, a stylish crime drama directed by Matthew Vaughn (Kingsman: The Secret Service, Kick-Ass) and based on the novel of the same name by author J.J. Connolly. It’s not a film about a carefully crafted cake with multiple layers and delicious filling. Vaughn’s Layer Cake refers to the layers (or levels) anyone in business goes through while rising to the top of the food chain.
Craig plays an unnamed man in the film known as XXXX, while Vaughn’s interpretation of the story differs from Connolly’s novel. In the book, XXXX and his hired gunman wait in a park to kill the off-screen antagonist, Dargon. While in the garden, they shoot an American tourist, mistaking him for Dragon. Initially, the movie would have done the same, but Sony Pictures was uncomfortable with killing an American and asked for the scene to be changed. In the film, Dragon snipes the hitman before taking a shot at the tourist. Dragon informs XXXX that he wants his cargo and is unafraid to kill to get it.
Our deep dive into Layer Cake explores other aspects of the film, including details related to the film’s outstanding cast. Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, Michael Gambon, Sienna Miller, Jamie Foreman, and George Harris join Craig as the primary cast members, each with their own scene-stealing moments. Even Tom Hardy, Sally Hawkins, and Ben Whishaw show up in minor roles!
Slick camera work is a Matthew Vaughn signature, and Layer Cake lets audiences see the early beginnings of his abilities to command scenes. Allowing the shots to match the moods of his characters, soundtrack, and chaotic story elements helps elevate Layer Cake‘s drama, creating a crime thriller on par (or close enough) to a project Scorsese could admire.
While Layer Cake‘s production includes less drama than other films featured in our WTF series, the evolution of this trendsetting crime story is just as enjoyable to explore. Squeeze yourself a fresh glass of orange juice, watch your hitman’s six, and join us as we find out what the f**k happened to Matthew Vaughn’s Layer Cake.
WTF Happens to Layer Cake is written, narrated, and edited by Ric Solomon.