Synopsis
Provocative, outrageously profane and surprisingly tender amidst an explosion of unbridled testosterone, 44 INCH CHEST is a visceral exploration of the masculine ego at breaking point, testing whether fear is stronger than love. Colin (Ray Winstone) is in agony, shattered by his wife’s infidelity. However, he has friends who do more than stand by – they kidnap the wife’s Italian lover and hold him prisoner so that Colin can restore his manhood with revenge. Old Man Peanut (John Hurt), is the Biblical patriarch of the group, with a mean streak; Meredith (Ian McShane), is stylish and tough - a fashion victim with a cutting edge; Mal (Stephen Dillane), is a man who lives in shadows and explodes with telling, quick violence. As the hostage situation escalates, so do the emotional stakes for each of these damaged, prideful men. Combining the coruscating menace and wit of Sexy Beast with the bold storytelling of Trainspotting and the razor-sharp conflicts of Reservoir Dogs, 44 INCH CHEST marks the debut feature of noted photographer Malcolm Venville, and is produced by Richard Brown, and Steve Golin, who with Babel, Being John Malkovich, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, among many others, has specialized in innovative pictures that take challenging risks to reap major rewards.