RocknRolla

Like other reviewers, I find Guy Ritchie very watchable. His cockney criminals are a delight to watch, all of them killing a human as easily as they might a fly and delivering punchlines all the way. Rirchie's screenplay brims with action and razor sharp dialogue for the first hour, then - very sadly - it loses direction.

The blueprint for ROCKNROLLA was SNATCH (UK, 2000), probably Ritchie's best, most rounded effort, with characters that pop out of the screen.

ROCKNROLLA does not quite match that highly original early Ritchie flick, it is unfortunately too long by easily 20 minutes, and its characters by and large do not stand out as much.

That said, Butler and Hardy make unlikely lovers who double up as criminals, Butler and Thandie have the briefest, least passionate love scene I have watched in some time, a real damp squib, and Tom Wilkinson as the fiendish Lenny Cole, Idris Elba as the ever supportive sidekick to Butler, and Mark Strong as the irrepressible Archy really steal the show.

Great cinematography, action sequences by David Higgs.

RocknRolla seems to be the beginning of the resurrection of Guy Ritchie's career. Not to anyone's surprise he does this with what he has been so potent with throughout his career; a British gangster film. If you've had any experience with Ritchie movies you know exactly what you're getting into here, a comedic thriller. This of course may seem problematic, in Ritchie's case it is not.

The writing and dialog is fast paced and quite witty and entertaining to watch. The movie as a whole maybe be a bit of a head scratcher here and there but the pay off is good and the idea is a bit of a parody of itself which is what makes this film so fun.

What Ritchie accomplishes though, in the same way he has with his past successful productions is putting together an extremely diverse and yet correlating cast. This starts with the lead man in Gerard Butler whose notoriety has steadily risen largely through his performances of comical caricatures (not an insult). With RocknRolla Butler seems to have found a role perfect for his appeal and charm he brings to the screen. This is largely because of a witty script and great, fun performances all around.

Then of course there is Mark Strong who until this year was largely a total unknown, at least in the American mainstream. While Gerard Butler may have found a genre he is most strongly suited for, Mark Strong could certainly use this along with Body of Lies to launch to the very least a respectable acting career. His posture, range and ability to change tone and style subtly not only between films but within them is something that should be and surely will be recognized.

Guy Ritchie's latest venture into the gangster genre feels a bit like déjà vu, doesn't it? I mean, the man's got a knack for weaving tales of theft and deception, but it's starting to feel a tad repetitive after he knocked it out of the park with two stellar flicks in the same vein.

Remember "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"? That was a riot, mainly because of the quirky characters Ritchie cooked up. Then came "Snatch," which had its own brand of hilarity. But now, with "RocknRolla," it's like he's taken a dash of both those films and whipped up another batch. The characters are intriguing, sure, but the plot feels like it's been recycled, and things can get a bit messy along the way. Plus, the vibe's a tad darker this time, and the laughs aren't as frequent.

But hey, let's give credit where it's due. Technically speaking, the movie's still top-notch. And can we talk about the cast? Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Tom Wilkinson, Gerard Butler-talk about a lineup! Butler, especially, shines in those dance scenes with Thandie Newton and Tom Hardy.

So, yeah, "RocknRolla" is a decent flick, no denying that. It's just that the whole gangster shtick feels a bit worn out by now, you know?

In a business as enormously subjective as the film industry, it would seem near impossible to attempt to remain individual and innovative, continually raising the bar, without the occasional stumble. Writer/director Guy Ritchie, who at first garnered countless approval for his vicious, hyper-stylized tales of dirty deeds in the British underground, had found the critical tides turning in recent years after the succession of universally panned Swept Away to widely baffling Revolver, begging the question as to whether Ritchie's cinematic genius had been limited to his initial films. However, fans of the unconventional filmmaker will be enthralled to hear that his latest project, RocknRolla proves a confident return to form, a snappy, stylish piece of work bristling with energy and acerbic wit - in short, classic Ritchie.

Returning to his defining genre, Ritchie crafts yet another convoluted myriad of intersecting story lines focusing on greed, deception, double-crossing and plenty of stupidity in the seedy underbelly of England. With viewers trusted to be familiar with his unique style, Ritchie uses his familiar story template to worm in social commentary amidst his trademark edge and humour, satirising the increasingly developed state of London and the enormous demand for real estate and location. But this is not the ordinary, romanticized London, as Ritchie's cinematic eye appears determined to capture every last dank, filthy gutter, every ounce of crime and corruption in a fashion akin to the least flattering cinematic depictions of New York. And yet, amidst the filth and edgy comedy, the occasional moment of raw humanity, flawed as it may be emerges from the fray of unanimously unsympathetic characters, whether it be the vulnerability of rocker Johnny Quid shuddering and rocking back and forth on a drug trip or the witty interplay between 'The Wild Bunch', a trio of hapless thieves. For a film so cynically detached, RocknRolla sure can hit the emotional gut-punch buttons for brief but unsettlingly crucial moments.

However, in the midst of his caustic reflection on his home town, Ritchie has mercifully left his sense of uproarious fun intact. After a relatively slow start, serving mostly to set up the convoluted array of characters and plot points (the central Maguffin this time being a 'lucky' Russian painting which goes missing) the film takes off at the frenzied pace those familiar with Ritchie's work would expect. Plunging into a fray of hilarious coincidences and situational comedy (watch for a priceless slow dance scene and one of the most hysterical sex scenes in many a year), double crosses, intimidation rants, philosophical monologues and the time worn Ritchie tradition of indestructible Russian hit men, it becomes clear that no matter how many similarities it may bear to past work, the delight of seeing a dynamic talent back on the top of his game cannot be understated. While the hyper-kinetic editing and camera-work and bold music cues of Snatch have been toned down and the casual violence is more removed, the cinematic flavour is unmistakable - Ritchie is back, and just as bombastically entertaining as ever.

As usual, Ritchie's cast rise to the occasion of matching the brilliance of their script and director. Gerard Butler brings an endearing charm to tough talking goofball thug One-Two, inevitably raising laughs whenever on screen and anchoring the film as one of the few likable characters. Tom Wilkinson takes on the role of resident British mobster with considerable aplomb, spitting out his lines with a vindictive joy and proving easily more than adequate on the intimidation front. Thandie Newton evokes an alluring mysterious air as a devious accountant playing each side of the conflict against each other, exuding a subtle quirkiness in her execution of the traditional femme fatale figure. Mark Strong delivers harried menace and perfect comic deadpan as Wilkinson's right hand man, crafting another memorable Ritchie reference with the "Archie slap", and Idris Elba and Tom Hardy are fittingly hilarious as One-Two's bumbling fellow hard men Mumbles and Handsome Bob. Finally, Toby Kebbell eerily essays the most commanding character on screen as allegedly deceased rocker Johnny Quid. A narcissistic, painfully vulnerable, haphazardly philosophical and cheekily insulting pile of flaws and potent observations, Quid is as classic as any of Ritchie's more beloved characters, and Kebbell's off-kilter performance rivets the viewer's attention - whether hilarious or tragic, he is always invariably impossible to ignore and far too interesting to discount.

While the occasional cry of rehashing story elements from past successes may be raised, Ritchie's return to form is too supremely entertaining to dwindle under such complaints, as the formula proves to have just enough shelf life along with countless inspired tweaks to remain miles ahead of any stylistic impersonators. For any finding the cinema's fare too dull or uninspired, fear not - a genuine talent has re-emerged, and RocknRolla proves just the antidote to the hackneyed mainstream offshoots which slunk up in his absence. The prospect of the announced two sequels is mouth watering indeed - if anything should prove indicative of the film's quality, it is that.

-8.5/10

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for Guy Ritchie's mockney gangster films. I don't know what it is. I know that they're not very profound and have nothing to say, I know that they're a pure fantasy vision of British crime and I know that if you've seen Lock Stock, you've pretty much seen them all. And yet, as Ritchie returns for a third iteration of the only formula with which he's tasted success , I still find myself walking out of the cinema massively entertained.

RocknRolla does absolutely nothing new. A quick list of things it shares with Lock Stock and Snatch would read thus: fast paced, witty dialogue; complex, interwoven plot threads; central McGuffin driving the mayhem (#1 antique shotguns, #2 huge diamond, #3 a lucky painting); smart, rapid editing; a mountain of Cockney crime stereotypes. Even things such as hard-as-nails Russian henchmen return. It completes the upward curve of scale in Ritchie's crime films: from a rigged card game to a rigged boxing circuit to rigged property development. The crime lords get larger in stature, the sums of money owed have more zeros on the end and the capers required to resolve the situation more grand, but it's still the same concept.

You'd think this was a list of criticisms, and if you found Snatch wearingly familiar you shouldn't need it spelling out that this film won't impress you. Looking for originality? Look elsewhere. RocknRolla may be pushing the formula a little bit, but if you accept that it's still enormous fun. Ritchie's directing is as proficient as ever, it moves at a merry old pace and the plot just about stays on the rails. The characters are endearing and there's plenty of laughs to be had. Other than its dearth of invention, the only real flaw with the film lies in the opening fifteen minutes, where Ritchie sets up the plot strands which will then unravel. Whereas previous films did this in a smooth, unforced way, here Ritchie lathers it with a liberal helping of voice-over narration so there's absolutely no confusion possible as to who is who and what they're after, which on many occasions extends to pointing out the bleeding obvious. Show don't tell- it's the first rule in the book Ritchie! It may be getting to the point where RocknRolla must go down as a guilty pleasure, but guilty pleasures are often the most fulfilling kind. And so it is here.