Release Date:
10/08/2008
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
The Skinny: Like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, RocknRolla has various intersecting storylinesinvolving small time hoods, big time hoods, drug-abusing rock stars, and shady Russian "real estate developers"centered around a missing painting and several million Euros. The cast is made up of the current coolest of the cool: Gerard Butler, Idris Elba, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven
The Good: After years of Madonna, Kabbalah, and two really shit movies (Swept Away and Revolver), Ritchie has wisely returned to what works for him: Violent British gangster films. But don't think he's just surrendering: RocknRolla feels like Ritchie's been re-energized. It's funny, fast (Butler's foot chase against unkillable Russian hitmen is a high point of both action and humor), features a lot of note-perfect, relaxed performances, and has a killer soundtrack. Best of all, it ends with a flourish that definitely has us wanting to see more.
The Bad: The plot is kind of "who cares" for the most partit's all just an excuse to bring these varied characters together, and you won't feel the need to really keep track of what's going on even as you enjoy the spectacle. And we defy you to explain to us why some of the characters (we're looking at you, Piven and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges) are in it at all.
You watch The Wire, mate?: That's rightIdris Elba finally gets to speak in his native British accent, which'll come as a shock to some Stringer Bell fans.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Definitely go see it. It's a laugh.
The Skinny: Like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, RocknRolla has various intersecting storylinesinvolving small time hoods, big time hoods, drug-abusing rock stars, and shady Russian "real estate developers"centered around a missing painting and several million Euros. The cast is made up of the current coolest of the cool: Gerard Butler, Idris Elba, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Jeremy Piven
The Good: After years of Madonna, Kabbalah, and two really shit movies (Swept Away and Revolver), Ritchie has wisely returned to what works for him: Violent British gangster films. But don't think he's just surrendering: RocknRolla feels like Ritchie's been re-energized. It's funny, fast (Butler's foot chase against unkillable Russian hitmen is a high point of both action and humor), features a lot of note-perfect, relaxed performances, and has a killer soundtrack. Best of all, it ends with a flourish that definitely has us wanting to see more.
The Bad: The plot is kind of "who cares" for the most partit's all just an excuse to bring these varied characters together, and you won't feel the need to really keep track of what's going on even as you enjoy the spectacle. And we defy you to explain to us why some of the characters (we're looking at you, Piven and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges) are in it at all.
You watch The Wire, mate?: That's rightIdris Elba finally gets to speak in his native British accent, which'll come as a shock to some Stringer Bell fans.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? Definitely go see it. It's a laugh.