Rock'n'Rolla - Movie Review- Guy Ritchie back at what he does best
If you know Guy Ritchie only as Madonna's husband, then you probably won't have seen Lock,Stock and Smoking Barrels, and Snatch. Guy Ritchie is known for his quirky lines, convoluted plot lines and stylish cinematography. But he went wrong somewhere down the line and ended up with Swept Away which is as low as one could go. But with the new movie Rock'n'Rolla Guy Ritchie is on a comeback. This movie is a definite step in the right direction.
Plot: In London, a real-estate scam puts millions of pounds up for grabs, naturally attraction the attention of some of the city's scrappiest tough guys (Butler, Elba) its more established underworld players (Wilkinson), and others -- all of whom are looking to get rich quick.
Review: You have to be in a certain kind of mood to view a Guy Ritchie movie. I was in that mood the other day and couldn't resist Rock'n'Rolla. This movie is the same kind of frenzied whacked out hyper-plotted adventure through the darker side of London. As usual, the cast of characters is huge. And everyone is screwing everyone else. I won't even try to synopsize the plot. Just know you can expect a lot of twists and shady characters. This was a bit tamer than the previous two movies mentioned above. It was a little more cerebral.
Rock'n'Rolla is pretty much Guy Ritchie showing us all that he hasn't lost it. One thing that's instantly improved to his Swept Away piece is the fact that he's got a flawless casting this time, a plot that is untouchable as is the script and a killer Soundtrack that had me bobbing my head in rhythm to it. His stylish direction (using freeze-frames, voice-over, captions and snappy editing) expertly juggles the different characters and story lines until everything begins to fall into place for the final act. That is exactly what Guy Ritchie is good at and he is at his best in this movie. There's a dance scene between Thandie & Gerard that's one of the coolest segments within the film, using Graphic Novel-esque subtitles as they talk and dance, pure genius.
Rock'n'Rolla is not a film for everyone and forget understanding the movie if you don't have subtitles or you understand the very British accent well. But no harm in trying, you may as well fall in love with Guy Ritchie's movies- I know I did. There may be many instances that you won't get the British argot(some of them are hilarious) but unless you are a really passive viewer you can figure out what they mean in a minute.
The performances are excellent but the ones that standout is Toby Kebbell, who steals the entire film with a terrific turn as Johnny, the Rock'n'Rolla of the title and Mark Strong as Archie. I mean this actor(Archie)seems to have something cheeky about him that always produces a wry smile with me. And he carries himself in that dignified manner but yet radiate an amount of cockiness. The performances are also a testament to Ritchie's direction that he manages to get decent performances out of three of cinema's most irritating actors(Gerard Butler, Tom Hardy and Thandie Newton).
My Verdict: Rock'n'Rolla is a nonstop parade of improbable dastardly characters, assorted incompetent criminals, burned-out rockers, wigged-out junkies, criminal masterminds and dimwitted hoods—and that’s not even taking into account "unkillable" Russians, an ice queen of a duplicitous accountant, gay gangsters and the gangsters they make nervous. Its a joy to find Guy Ritchie at the top of his game and this makes me look forward to "The Real Rock'n'Rolla" the sequel to this movie. It's class, it's violent, it's funny and more importantly it's dark, rich and satisfying.
The Sequel:
The Real Rock'n'Rolla is the sequel to "Rock'n'Rolla", Ritchie has implied it has already been written and it's ready to go as soon as his next project is over with. Also depending on the box office of the first movie it could have many more installments. Without giving too much away from the first film part two will include Johnny Quid, Archie and the Wild Bunch. This may not be as funny as Snatch and Lock Stock but these characters are just as lovable.
Plot: In London, a real-estate scam puts millions of pounds up for grabs, naturally attraction the attention of some of the city's scrappiest tough guys (Butler, Elba) its more established underworld players (Wilkinson), and others -- all of whom are looking to get rich quick.Review: You have to be in a certain kind of mood to view a Guy Ritchie movie. I was in that mood the other day and couldn't resist Rock'n'Rolla. This movie is the same kind of frenzied whacked out hyper-plotted adventure through the darker side of London. As usual, the cast of characters is huge. And everyone is screwing everyone else. I won't even try to synopsize the plot. Just know you can expect a lot of twists and shady characters. This was a bit tamer than the previous two movies mentioned above. It was a little more cerebral.
Rock'n'Rolla is pretty much Guy Ritchie showing us all that he hasn't lost it. One thing that's instantly improved to his Swept Away piece is the fact that he's got a flawless casting this time, a plot that is untouchable as is the script and a killer Soundtrack that had me bobbing my head in rhythm to it. His stylish direction (using freeze-frames, voice-over, captions and snappy editing) expertly juggles the different characters and story lines until everything begins to fall into place for the final act. That is exactly what Guy Ritchie is good at and he is at his best in this movie. There's a dance scene between Thandie & Gerard that's one of the coolest segments within the film, using Graphic Novel-esque subtitles as they talk and dance, pure genius.
Rock'n'Rolla is not a film for everyone and forget understanding the movie if you don't have subtitles or you understand the very British accent well. But no harm in trying, you may as well fall in love with Guy Ritchie's movies- I know I did. There may be many instances that you won't get the British argot(some of them are hilarious) but unless you are a really passive viewer you can figure out what they mean in a minute.
The performances are excellent but the ones that standout is Toby Kebbell, who steals the entire film with a terrific turn as Johnny, the Rock'n'Rolla of the title and Mark Strong as Archie. I mean this actor(Archie)seems to have something cheeky about him that always produces a wry smile with me. And he carries himself in that dignified manner but yet radiate an amount of cockiness. The performances are also a testament to Ritchie's direction that he manages to get decent performances out of three of cinema's most irritating actors(Gerard Butler, Tom Hardy and Thandie Newton).
My Verdict: Rock'n'Rolla is a nonstop parade of improbable dastardly characters, assorted incompetent criminals, burned-out rockers, wigged-out junkies, criminal masterminds and dimwitted hoods—and that’s not even taking into account "unkillable" Russians, an ice queen of a duplicitous accountant, gay gangsters and the gangsters they make nervous. Its a joy to find Guy Ritchie at the top of his game and this makes me look forward to "The Real Rock'n'Rolla" the sequel to this movie. It's class, it's violent, it's funny and more importantly it's dark, rich and satisfying.
The Sequel:
The Real Rock'n'Rolla is the sequel to "Rock'n'Rolla", Ritchie has implied it has already been written and it's ready to go as soon as his next project is over with. Also depending on the box office of the first movie it could have many more installments. Without giving too much away from the first film part two will include Johnny Quid, Archie and the Wild Bunch. This may not be as funny as Snatch and Lock Stock but these characters are just as lovable.
