LONDON BOULEVARD Trailer: Can Monahan Direct As Well As He Writes?

Here's the first trailer for London Boulevard, the directorial debut of Academy Award winning scribe William Monahan (The Departed). Colin Ferrell plays Mitchell, a man fresh out of prison who falls for a reclusive movie star (Keira Knightley). He quickly finds himself under the gun of a ruthless gangster (the always good Ray Winstone) and lots of badass dialogue is exchanged.

The trailer begins with a lot of tired accoutrement we've seen in British gangster films countless times: title cards introducing "the ex-con," "the girl" and "the boss." Electronic music ala The Herbaliser or Massive Attack. And the old "I'm finished with my detrimental life of crime" speech. By the end though, it looks like a crime drama with potential and some seriously sharp dialogue. Monahan also wrote Body of Lies, Kingdom of Heaven, and Edge of Darkness.

The cast also features David Thewlis and Stephen Graham.