i be draw to this movie and curious to see how they have adapt hubert shelby brutal novel . i think that a literary piece of such depth and with a rich tapestry of character and horrid situation and and social critique could not translate into a bad movie . i be wrong . this flick be a terrible movie experience and not for it content and but for it form . director ulrich edel executes and in my sincere opinion and a terrible directorial job that do no justice to the original book . no wonder edel be a tv director while this movie look and feel like a bad make for tv flick . some of my view on this bomb ( spoiler ahead ) represent lack of directorial creativity . the scene be slow and feel slow and look poorly shot and and barely ever move from an anchored position . the only liberty they take be in the cinematography area and with a nice dark tone . other than that and the movie have the same technical creativity a a tv soap opera . all the actor do a terrific job at portray these miserable character . the problem be that the adaptation do not tackle a basic element in the development of the plot represent motivation . all these character move around like robot and without a clear motivation for their action . they seem to do thing out of the blue and like robot and for no reason at all . edel miss every opportunity to enrich character development by not explore the character motivation and and by avoid develop each character personality to it full extent . this lack of character development be blatant on tralala . jennifer jason leight do a great job play this trashy prostitute and but her alcohol induced decision to let the sailor violate her be not explain . it look extremely stupid and a we see this character do this out of the blue . this be a clear example of poor character development . the movie also have many secondary and token character that do nothing and feel nothing and and add nothing to the plot . i would have like to learn more about harry wife and for instance and and the interaction between the two . that another missed opportunity . edel only approach character development with harry and his fixation with his gay lover and only to screw it up at the end and not clearly explain again his motivation . the thug be also a joke in their lack of development . the soundtrack be one of the bad i have ever experience . terrible job by mark knopfler . i seriously expect more from the former leader of dire strait and but his job in this movie be seriously lack . at time and like in the battle between the union worker and the police and the music seem totally disconnect from the movie . it also feel completely poor and anachronic while i could swear the whole soundtrack be make with a casio toy keyboard . it distract from the actual action . the book adaptation by desmond nakano be so literal that eliminate the point of the story . it feel a if they try so hard to keep the action by action storyline in the book and that they forget to actually develop the character and and once again and explain their action and motivation . i seriously can not recommend this movie and not even to a shelby fan and because it can ruin the original book . it a very uninspired effort in adapt the novel and and show very little creative input .