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'Plunkett and Macleane' combines old with new

It's not too often that you find a movie set in the 1700s with a soundtrack that includes techno, rock and neo-swing music. It's even rarer that a contrast such as that will work. But Jake Scott's new movie, "Plunkett and Macleane," manages to make everything about it work, despite the odds.

Plunkett (Robert Carlyle) and Macleane (Jonny Lee Miller) are a pair of thieves who steal from rich gentlemen to raise money for a voyage to America. Macleane acts as an aristocrat to find out who has valuables and where they keep it. Plunkett then takes the information and plans the robberies.

Hot on the trail of the "gentlemen highwaymen" is the evil General Chance (Ken Scott) a soulless man who already brutally murdered Plunkett's old partner. Liv Tyler also enters the fold as the independent Lady Rebecca, a woman searching for someone other than a stuffy gentleman to love her.

As Macleane deals with his growing ego and his budding affection for Rebecca, Plunkett struggles with keeping his own hardened emotion and humanity at bay.

The production was very well done. The sets, costumes, makeup and special effects all intertwined to accurately portray the disgusting filth and disease of the time period. The jail scenes especially exhibit the conditions which helped to create the black plague.

Casting was similarly inspired. Physically, Carlyle is a given for any "creepy Englishman." But the amount of humanity he can show in a simple expression makes him perfect for the jaded thief Plunkett.

Miller was not as vital to the production, but he did well nonetheless. Tyler was harmless, and for the first time in her career did not ruin the film. She even keeps her "English" accent toned down to the point that it doesn't jar the audience's attention away from the rest of the movie.

And once again, Alan Cumming steals every scene that he's in. The man is an expert at playing the role of an over-the-top homosexual. Catch him in his two minute "Eyes Wide Shut" cameo as "the desk clerk." He provides Tom Cruise with information while openly coming on to him. It's not a plot twist, he's not an important character, there is no real need for it. But those two minutes absolutely stand out among the rest of the movie simply because of him.

"Plunkett and Macleane" is a historical film, cast with fairly unknown British actors, that deals with morals, friendship and love. And somehow Jake Scott managed to not let it become a boring PBS special. It's entertaining, funny and exciting. In fact, it may be the most pleasantly surprising movie of this fall.