Lloyd's of London: A bit old-fashioned, but it has heart

Is this worth your time?

If you're a fan of old-school Hollywood sweep and don't mind a movie that takes a long walk to get where it's going, you'll probably find Lloyd's of London pretty charming. It’s got that specific kind of black-and-white grandeur that feels like it was filmed on a set the size of a small country.

That said, if you’re looking for something with a snappy, modern pace, stay away. It’s slow. Like, really slow.

The rise of the broker

Tyrone Power is the guy driving the whole ship here. He’s got that classic movie star charisma that makes you forgive him for basically being a glorified accountant for the British Navy.

There’s this one scene where he’s just sitting around talking about insurance premiums and naval routes, and somehow, he makes it sound like he’s planning a daring heist. It’s weirdly captivating.

The sets are massive. You can tell they spent a fortune on those wooden beams and fake ship decks. Sometimes, though, the extras in the background look like they’ve completely forgotten they’re supposed to be in 18th-century London. One guy in the back row of a market scene was definitely just staring at the camera for a solid five seconds. Oops.

I couldn't help but think about how different this is from something like The Magician. That movie had a totally different vibe, way more focused on individual weirdness rather than these big, sweeping historical beats. Lloyd's of London is definitely more concerned with the "big picture" than the small, strange details.

Odd bits and pieces

• The wigs. Seriously, some of these wigs look like they were made out of spare carpeting.
• The dialogue is so formal it sounds like everyone is reading from a textbook, but somehow it works.
• The lighting in the final act is surprisingly moody. It almost felt like a different film started halfway through.

It’s not a masterpiece, and honestly, the plot gets a little lost in the sea of suits and ships about halfway through. But there’s something about the earnestness of it all that keeps you watching. It’s not trying to be a deep, dark meditation on human nature. It’s just trying to tell a story about a guy who really, really cares about boats and paperwork. ⚓

Sometimes that’s enough. Other times, you just want the movie to get to the point. This one definitely prefers to meander.