The consensus is firmly positive, with praise centred on Bob Hoskins’s performance as Harold Shand. Critics repeatedly highlight the contradictions he makes visible in the ambitious gangster: charm alongside brutality, hope alongside despair. Helen Mirren’s supporting performance also draws approval, while the sharp dialogue, violent humour and portrait of a changing Britain give the reviews more to discuss than criminal plotting. London’s locations and the synthesiser score receive particular praise from Time Out.
The differences concern how fully the thriller’s craft matches its central performance, rather than its worth as a whole. The New York Times admires the performances and directorial flair but finds loose ends in the plot. Variety praises the dense, intelligent script while judging the visual style too stolid to deliver the full impact. These are limited reservations within a broadly enthusiastic response; no review supplied amounts to a dissent from the recommendation.