RocknRolla
Starring: Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandie Newton, Mark Strong, Idris Elba
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
2008 Warner Bros. Pictures/Dark Castle Action
Great title for a gangster flick. Too bad that writer-director Guy Ritchie only partially realizes the sizzling potential. The movie has a good thing going in scrappy Gerard Butler, who trades in his 300 swords and sandals to play One Two, a guppy scam artist in London real estate hoping to learn from the great white shark, Lenny Cole (the slumming but ever wonderful Tom Wilkinson). All types of hoods enter the fray, with Thandie Newton the sexiest as a crooked accountant, Mark Strong the most intriguing as Lenny's wingman, Toby Kebbell the most dangerous as Lenny's punk-junkie stepson, Nonso Anozie the most irresistible as a whale-size hood who fancies fine art and Merchant Ivory films, and Jeremy Piven and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges the most negligible as rock promoters in a crammed cast of characters. Ritchie, falling just short of his best work (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; Snatch), is still flying way above the mud of Revolver and the fiasco of Swept Away (with wife Madonna). RocknRolla is a kickass crime drama that just doesn't know to quit while it's ahead.
(Posted: Oct 16, 2008)
Your Turn
Review 1 of 3
tammyjay writes:
Guy Ritchie has done it again, with this dark comedy that utilises all of the British humour that we love and adore. If there is one movie you have to go see it’s this one.
The sixth degrees of separation that Ritchie plays upon in most of his movies was even amplified in Rock n Rolla, making you squirm with anticipation on how he was going to bring all these unique and yet familiar characters together. The plot was changed a few times within the movie, and like always it is never about the catalyst that started the unlikely events but the journey on how clustered life can get when you mess with the proverbial seven sins.
Gerard Butler has proven he is a versatile actor being the classical genre player; from PS I love you, 300, Nims Island and now Rock n Rolla he hasn’t found a role that he can’t play. Mark Strong who played Archie also added something to Ritchie’s film, playing the cool old school gangster it’ll be interesting to watch his latest movie Body of Lies. But the highlight and the newest actor to British films would be Toby Kebbell, his first major roll he certainly showed his talent in Rock N Rolla and how far he is willing to go as an actor.
Rock n Rolla has a superb mixture of old British talent with new up and comers, good script with depth and layers and the interesting filming of Guy Ritchie. It is quickly turning into a cult movie collector’s no. 1 pick sitting on the shelf next to Lock, stock and Two smoking Barrels and Snatch. Another awesome triple pack waiting to come out.
Oct 28, 2008 16:30:45
Review 2 of 3
jesseslater writes:
A masterpiece. Ritchie's back 'n' loaded!
Oct 16, 2008 18:45:26
Review 3 of 3
SuzannaR writes:
I agree with Peter Travers - Guy Ritchie could have reigned it in a bit and made a masterpiece. There's a lot to like about this movie (and I love the title too) but the action gets tedious at times and the dialogue, although mostly brilliant, sometimes feels as if he's trying too hard to be hip. The acting throughout is amazing, though: Tom Wilkinson scores once again, Thandie Newton is mesmerizing as usual, Gerard Butler, who I don't recall ever seeing on screen before, is perfect (and can take over as James Bond when Daniel Craig is done), and Toby Kebbell blew me away.
Oct 9, 2008 16:50:25
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