Played (2006) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place across two cities - Los Angeles and London. LA serves as the primary arena for brutal violence and quick-cover decisions, while London provides the backdrop for crooked police and street-level criminal scheming. This twin-city setting highlights the transatlantic criminal network connecting both locations.

• played setting
• los angeles
• london
• locations
• crime film setting

Revenge drives the entire narrative. The protagonist Ray Burns returns after eight years in prison, determined to avenge his betrayal. The film explores how vendetta shapes every decision, with revenge being costly and contagious - pulling multiple characters into a violent spiral of retribution.

• revenge theme
• betrayal
• vendetta
• main theme
• plot explained

The film depicts crime as a global marketplace rather than a local affair. Criminal networks span both London and Los Angeles, with characters moving transatlantic to conduct their operations. Crime bosses, corrupt cops, and hired hitmen cooperate and compete across borders, with loyalties shifting based on payoffs.

• global crime
• transatlantic
• crime network
• international crime

Ray Burns is the protagonist portrayed by Mick Rossi - a small-time thief who spent eight years in prison after being framed. Upon release, he becomes single-mindedly driven to seek vengeance against those who betrayed him. He is portrayed as resourceful, ruthless, and pulled through a world of double-crosses and lethal confrontations.

• ray burns
• protagonist
• mick rossi
• main character

Dillon is played by Val Kilmer - a ruthless cleaner who works for gangster Eddie. He handles cover-ups and cold-blooded tasks with calm efficiency, torching scenes and disposing of evidence to protect his bosses. His calculating, violent streak makes him a dangerous catalyst that drives the plot forward.

• dillon
• val kilmer
• cleaner
• hitman
• eddie's muscle

Brice, played by Vinnie Jones, is a crooked detective who manipulates events from behind the scenes. He orchestrates criminal operations, uses others to cover his tracks, and maintains a dangerous watch over Ray and Riley. His scheming sets the story's violent chain of events in motion.

• brice
• vinnie jones
• crooked cop
• detective
• manipulator

Betrayal and deceit permeate the film through tape recordings, misdirection, and a constantly shifting web of lies. Characters orchestrate a narcotics job that fractures trust among partners. Even allies turn on each other as the truth remains obscured by manipulation, with the film questioning how truth is manufactured in a criminal empire.

• betrayal
• deceit
• lies
• deception
• trust

Eddie, played by Gabriel Byrne, is a gangster who runs a tight, violent operation and hires Dillon for cover-ups. He keeps his business interests close and understands that loyalty is measured in dollars and silences. His presence anchors much of the criminal activity threatening every character.

• eddie
• gabriel byrne
• gangster
• crime boss

Riley, portrayed by Patrick Bergin, is a ruthless organizer who brings together a crew for a heist, then betrays the others to protect his position. He is calculating and capable of deception, playing Brice and others against one another while grappling with the consequences of his actions.

• riley
• patrick bergin
• heist
• betrayer
• organizer

Cindy, played by Patsy Kensit, is a former street-level casualty who becomes an ally to Ray. She battles personal demons while offering him support. Her relationship with Ray is shaped by trust and survival against a backdrop of addiction and risk, anchoring some of Ray's more human moments.

• cindy
• patsy kensit
• ally
• love interest
• support

Maggie, played by Joanne Whalley, is Ray's former lover who remains loyal despite the surrounding chaos. She provides emotional grounding in a world of crime and manipulation. Her involvement in the plot heightens the stakes, with her resilience contrasting sharply with the violence surrounding Ray.

• maggie
• joanne whalley
• ray's lover
• emotional grounding

The film explores the moral compromises characters must make to survive in the criminal underworld. The dominant tone is dark, reflecting the harsh, unforgiving landscape where every character faces choices that compromise their humanity. The protagonist's eight-year imprisonment and destructive quest for vengeance exemplify these impossible choices.

• moral compromises
• survival
• ethics
• dark tone
• criminal world

The film maintains a dark, oppressive tone with virtually no humor. The ending is ambiguous - the protagonist survives but is battered and pulled back into the same violent cycle, suggesting there is no clean escape from the criminal underworld or one's past choices.

• ending
• ambiguous
• dark tone
• final scene
• resolution