Netflix Fridays: RocknRolla

Okay, I know this review is totally a day late in the making, but "Netflix Saturdays" just doesn't sound right to me. Thus, for this film review blog, I decided to include not only the new releases I see, but also the random movies I rent from Netflix. And when I say random, I mean everything from "Metropolis" to "Clerks" (oh, and as an added note, if anyone has any rental recommendations for me, drop me a comment & I might just review it).

Now down to business, as this film is all about the business of crooks and mob bosses with a sharp and slick taste in how they scam their way to the big bucks. A Russian mobster's real estate scam falls apart, attracting the scrappiest thugs to snag the millions of dollars left in the wash. The movie already has all the elements of a typical Guy Ritchie film, and is much like "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels": guns, Cockney accents, central London setting, and thieves stealing from thieves because they're caught in a sticky situation with the kingpin. This formula does work well to create conflict and minor chuckle-inducing tight corners the players find themselves lodged into, but if you're expecting something a little more in depth, like "The Departed," you might come out of this movie feeling like something is missing. This is just Guy Ritchie's signature style, and for those who like the quirky, swaggering personas in his films, "RocknRolla" delivers a nice slate of these London-bred characters.

But I think my main problem with the film was that it felt like Ritchie has ADHD: the plot movies incredibly fast within seconds of the first frame, and it's up to you to make sense of the fast-talking, set-switching approach he gives to a crime world that some people might have trouble processing. Another thing is that some of the major players have similar haircuts and similar ways of speaking, thus causing you to wonder why Bob is suddenly a heroin addict when it is in fact the rockstar, Johnny Quid. I think most who watch this will recognize Gerard Butler with his jaunty jawline, film veteran Tom Wilkinson, and Thandie Newton as the main femme fatale.

The chemistry of the cast did work particularily well, never missing a beat in their speed-induced conversations and perfect timing in comedic situations. But there were certain times that the scenes bled into one another a little too well and lost its grounding. The plot felt like it was always up in the air but with some pizazz, kind of like a trapeze artist with a gun. There were some brilliant moments, but sometimes they felt rushed, preventing the nuances of the scene to relish in them.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're familiar with Guy Ritchie's style and appreciate his approach to the London mob world, "RocknRolla" will satisfy your taste buds. But if you're experiencing Ritchie for the first time, you'll still be entertained but might feel a little lost midway in the second act.

PROS
1. One Two (Gerard Butler) discovering Bob's homosexuality ~ This makes it better when Bob also reveals that he's in love with One Two.
2. Thandie Newton ~ A fantastic actress with exotic looks. Check her out in "Run Fat Boy Run."
3. Clever lines ~ "Think before you drink before you drive me mad."
4. Good soundtrack

CONS
1. Fast-paced plot ~ I understand that dragging the story along is just as bad, but sometimes I wished Ritchie would just slow down a bit.
2. Characters looking the same ~ It also didn't help that the cast was large, so I had trouble tracking down who was who.

RATING
out of 5