Plot After a botched land deal, One Two (Butler) and Mumbles (Elba) steal the money they need to pay back fixer Lenny Cole (Wilkinson), with the help of accountant Stella (Newton). But their plans are complicated by a Russian oligarch and his prized painting...
Review
The biggest misconception about Guy Ritchie is that he cares what the critics think about him - he doesn’t. With his wife, his family and his brother-in-law’s stupid book in the papers on every other page these days, what the Daily Mail makes of his $20 million crime movie – a steal for its terrific cast alone - has to be pretty low down on his priorities. But the flipside of this silence is that it often seems Ritchie doesn’t care at all, which really isn’t the case. Take RocknRolla: from the Banksy-style opening credits, it’s clear that Ritchie wants this film to get to you. You can go in with your hard hearts, but this is a film that grabs your attention, holds it and, for the bulk of its running time, actually warrants it.
Another misconception that’s about to become apparent is that Ritchie made this film as a reaction to Revolver, another low-budget crime thriller that was critically rubbished. Admittedly, Revolver proved that Ritchie isn’t ready to tell a serious story, but there were scenes that, if they’d come from a Hong Kong cop movie, would have been used as collateral to justify the perplexing script. With RocknRolla, Ritchie isn’t reverting, he’s progressing, bolting this new, stranger, stronger visual style onto the kind of shaggy-dog tale that made him - only this time the actors are good enough to deliver his lines with a conviction missing from those earlier, funny ones.
As with Lock, Stock and Snatch, this is another narrative bunfight, setting up One Two (Gerard Butler) and Mumbles (Idris Elba) as the nominal heroes who navigate us through a series of subplots, including one about a never-seen stolen painting that skews too close to Pulp Fiction’s running gag about the briefcase. But the one that stands out, so much so that it gives the film its title, is the strand dealing with Lenny Cole’s wayward son, a crack-addicted rocker called Johnny Quid. It’s a terrific turn from Toby Kebbell, making sly digs at the music industry and drawing parallels between his rock world and the underworld with a turn that veers from cadaverous and vulnerable to whippet-like and tough.
If the whole film had stuck to this, RocknRolla might have been amazing, and although there are some well-handled set-pieces - an action scene in which One Two is pursued by an unstoppable Russian Mafioso is visually arresting - the film falls down in its closing stretches. Though the comedy works well (there’s a great scene where the gay Handsome Bob (Hardy) has his way with One Two), the final reel is just too light, with a touch of sitcom about the - almost - consequence-free finale.
Storytelling isn’t Ritchie’s forte - yet. But if he were to engage a little more with the artistic process, that could easily change over time. It would also be nice if Ritchie was more vocal about what he’s patently so good at instead of keeping a dignified silence, one that leaves us with the false impression that this is his equivalent of pottering in the garden shed to get a bit of peace and quiet, dreaming of an imaginary world where the News Of The World is more interested in Barack Obama, and that woman indoors is simply Mrs. Ritchie.
Verdict A kinetic, funny, well-cast crime caper, RocknRolla proves Ritchie is still the lord of his manor - if not exactly Shakespeare.
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Average user rating for RocknRolla
A Bit Too Pleased With Itself, but Fun
Guy Ritchie shows that he isn't out there to make Hitchcock or Bergman classics, purely out there to enjoy himself and entertain audiences. A great rocknroll ride - its got jokes, action, thrills, characters... loved it. ... Read More
Naveed, TheGodfather, Juan, elvoys...GO FUCK YOURSELVES! This is a perfectly good, entertaining, funny, stylistic movie and EMPIRE's dead on the money...even wankers like you should know that! ... Read More
Was it me or did the Tom Wilkinson being a "rat" squarely lifted from The Departed, I agree with Empire that the painting gag is pinched from Pulp Fiction (briefcase!!) and the bit when One-Two is tied up and gagged and Archie come to his rescue, remenber Ving Rhames & Bruce Willis in Pulp Fiction. LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR THAT GUY RITCHIE IS NO QUENTIN TARANTINO AND CERTAINLY NOT MARTIN SCORSESE...NOT EVEN IN HIS DREAMS. ... Read More
yeh it has a few unanswered questions towards the end but fuck it i was glued to this film the whole way through. i was surprised at just how much better it was than revolver. i really like this movie it was like lock stock and snatch but had more of a serious layer cake feel to it. highly recommended ! ... Read More
Dont worry he cant defend himself..he's got no head
I think some ppl have taken this film far too seriously! It was brilliant and thats coming from a girl!! Just sit back and relax and let ritchie take you along for the ride! ... Read More
I`m shocked to see Empire giving this piece of shite 4 stars. I saw it yesterday.
Guy Ritchie gives in his newest film in just over 90 minutes a crash course "how do I screw up a potentially good script and a great cast?" Because man oh man what a mess this was. I had hoped for a new Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels but that hope was already killed after about 30 minutes.
There really isn`t too much good about it: one-dimensional characters, terrible sense of humor. And especial... Read More
I am completely baffled by this Empire review. Four stars is undeservedly generous. The film was terrible: overly self-aware; unoriginal; convoluted; poorly cast; and dull in parts. Tom Wilkinson, whom I love in so many things, was really dry here. His character's relationship with Archy feels very forced and unnatural. I concur, the scene with the invincible Russians is silly, but amusing and stylishly done. The rest of the film really drags, and the end ultimately unsatisfying. The idea of a s... Read More
cmon empire. plaese roll forward april 1st when this can be added to the list of 4 star efforts that you have been utterly taking the piss with past year (ie black sheep pineapple express, wanted to name a few) kermode is kind to this cack. oh, and it is very rare that a film makes you want to kick the screen but that twat in this who acts hard (jonny quid) has amazingly become the most annoying prick in movie history. the frank spencer routine is one of those that when read any actor with self ... Read More
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