Brighton Rock is a 2010 British crime film written and directed by Rowan Joffé and loosely based on Graham Greene's 1938 novel of the same name. The film stars Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Andy Serkis, John Hurt, Sean Harris and Helen Mirren. The novel had previously been made into a film under the same title by the Boulting brothers that premiered in 1948. Although the novel and original film are both set in the 1930s, the 21st century adaptation is set during the Mods and Rockers era of the 1960s. Sam Riley plays "Pinkie", the role originally played by Richard Attenborough. Filming began in October 2009. It was largely filmed in the nearby town of Eastbourne, with Eastbourne Pier standing in for Brighton Pier, and at Beachy Head. Some scenes were shot at Hedsor House in Buckinghamshire and in Brighton itself. Plot In 1964, Pinkie Brown, the sociopathic enforcer of a Brighton gang, murders Fred Hale, who had killed the gang leader Kite. Brown befriends Rose, a young waitress who witnessed the gang's activity, to keep an eye on her. She falls in love with him. To prevent her from being compelled to give evidence against him, he marries her. Ida, Rose's employer and a friend of Hale's, takes it upon herself to save the girl from the monster she has married. Cast Sam Riley as Pinkie Brown Andrea Riseborough as Rose Andy Serkis as Mr Colleoni John Hurt as Phil Corkery Helen Mirren as Ida Sean Harris as Hale Phil Davis as Spicer Nonso Anozie as Dallow Craig Parkinson as Cubitt Steve Evets as Mr Wilson Maurice Roëves as Chief Inspector Production Rowan Joffé was originally uninterested in the project, which as first proposed was to be a remake of the film. After re-reading the novel, however, Joffé "fell absolutely in love with the character of Rose" and convinced the studio to let him adapt the novel directly. Joffe later explained why he did his own adaptation of the novel: Apropos to the location, Pinkie kills Spicer by shoving a stick of Brighton rock candy down his throat. Release Brighton Rock premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010 and the BFI London Film Festival in October 2010. The film was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 4 February 2011, and in Australia on 14 April 2011. In the United States, IFC Films released the film