RocknRolla
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring:
Gerard Butler - One Two
Tom Wilkinson - Lenny Cole
Thandie Newton - Stella
Mark Strong - Archie
Idris Elba - Mumbles
Tom Hardy - Handsome Bob
Toby Kebbell - Johnny Quid
Jeremy Piven - Roman
Chris Bridges - Mickey
RocknRolla is an achievement in that it's not horrible like Guy Ritchie's previous two films, Swept Away and Revolver. It's a failure in that it's exactly like Snatch. and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels but those films were made ten years ago. Directors, or at least directors with some sort of signature style, need to evolve. By repeating their same old tricks, they make their previous successes into flukes and show us that they're not as talented as we once thought.
I won't go into the plot because it's far too convoluted and Ritchie wouldn't have it any other way (although I really hope he does for Sherlock Holmes). The film goes like a checklist through elements of a Ritchie film: Large cast of characters connected through tangential acquaintances? Check. British accents so thick you could drizzle them on pancakes? Check. Brief character jokes in spite of one-dimensional characters? Check. Flashy cinematography and music-video editing? Of course.
The film works in that it delivers exactly what it promises but it's actually not quite as good as Snatch. or Lock, Stock because it's missing two crucial elements. First, it lacks a fun supporting character. Lock, Stock had Vinnie Jones as Big Chris and Snatch. had Brad Pitt as Mickey O'Neil. RocknRolla lacks the sympathetic heavy; the character who can kick your ass but actually as a soul. The closest it comes is Mark Strong who is good but too much of a detached narrator to feel like a real, active character with his own background.
Second, RocknRolla feels just a tad too sluggish. Ritchie has usually been able to manage his massive cast by making sure they're brief ideas of people and that all the stories feel clipped and frantic due to some skillful editing. Here, only the action beats really come alive with most of the story just plodding along. It's made worse knowing that we've seen almost all these characters before and we know where this kind of story is going to go.
RocknRolla is a success at not trying. It knows what it wants to be and thinks that we'll enjoy the film just as much as we enjoyed Snatch. and Lock, Stock. But we've already heard this tune before and it's time for Ritchie to either play us something new or get off the stage.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
1.26.09