Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey (1999) isn’t just a revenge film it’s a study of grief, memory, and barely contained rage. Starring Terrence Stamp in one of his most powerful performances, the film follows a father tearing through Los Angeles after the death of his daughter, driven by anger, regret, and unresolved history.
In this episode of 100 Things We Learned From Film, we are joined by friend and regular guest Paul Payne to break down The Limey through behind-the-scenes facts, casting choices, editing decisions, and production stories pulled from respected interviews, commentaries, and film criticism. From Soderbergh’s radical use of non-linear storytelling to the repurposing of Stamp’s 1960s film Poor Cow, this is a deep dive into one of the most emotionally precise crime films of the 1990s.
We explore why The Limey feels so different from traditional revenge movies, how memory is used as a narrative weapon, and why Terrence Stamp’s Wilson might just be the angriest dad in cinema history.
Whether you’re revisiting the film or discovering it for the first time, this video looks at why The Limey remains one of Steven Soderbergh’s most daring and underrated works.
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The Limey is a 1999 American crime film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Lem Dobbs. The film features Terence Stamp, Lesley Ann Warren, Luis Guzmán, Barry Newman, Nicky Katt, Joe Dallesandro, and Peter Fonda.[2] The plot concerns an English career criminal (Stamp) who travels to the United States to investigate the recent suspicious death of his daughter. It was filmed on location in Los Angeles and Big Sur.
Critical reception was positive, but the film was not a financial success upon release. The film was nominated for five Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Stamp and Guzmán were nominated for Best Male Lead and Best Supporting Male Lead respectively.
