Film Review: RocknRolla (2008)

Guy Ritchie's career has been a rollercoaster ride, marked by significant highs and notable lows. He first gained acclaim with his two immensely popular gangster comedies, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, both set in the vibrant Cockney milieu. However, Ritchie's trajectory took a downturn with Swept Away, a film that became infamous for its failure, followed by Revolver, which also flopped but remained relatively obscure. These setbacks could have derailed his career, but Ritchie seized the opportunity to return to his roots with RocknRolla, a gangster comedy that aimed to recapture the essence of his earlier successes.

The film is narrated by Archy, played by Mark Strong, who serves as the top lieutenant to Lenny Cole, a powerful London crime boss portrayed by Tom Wilkinson. Lenny has ventured into the real estate business and is currently negotiating a deal with Russian oligarch Uri Omovich, played by Karel Roden. This plan is complicated by the theft of a valuable painting intended as a gesture of goodwill towards Uri. The painting is stolen by Johnny Quid (played by Toby Kebbell), Lenny's estranged and mentally unstable son who harbours dreams of a rock music career. The situation becomes further entangled when Uri's accountant Stella (played by Thandie Newton) covets the painting for herself; she also becomes romantically involved with One-Two (played by Gerard Butler), a Scottish gangster who leads a gang known as the Wild Bunch alongside Handsome Bob (played by Tom Hardy) and Mumbles (played by Idris Elba).

While RocknRolla represents an improvement over Ritchie's previous films, it is difficult to label it as original. Much like Snatch, Ritchie attempts to recapture the "mojo" that made Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels so successful. He employs a familiar setting and similar character archetypes drawn from the Cockney underworld, alongside a stylistic approach reminiscent of MTV videos. The film features Ritchie's trademark blend of "clever" dialogue, violence, and dark humour, creating an experience that feels both familiar and derivative.

One aspect that stands out in RocknRolla is its cast. The film notably lacks some of the more recognisable screen heavyweights; however, dependable character actors like Tom Wilkinson and Mark Strong are almost unrecognisable due to heavy makeup. Despite this, the film introduces interesting performances from emerging talents such as Tom Hardy. His portrayal of a gay gangster was a bold move at the time, representing one of Hardy's early significant roles.

Similarly, Toby Kebbell's quirky character, obsessed with rock music, adds an intriguing layer to the film. However, his character feels somewhat underdeveloped and does not seamlessly integrate into the broader narrative.

Ritchie demonstrates solid directorial skills throughout RocknRolla, highlighted by an engaging scene featuring a semi-comical showdown between One-Two and Uri’s henchmen. This scene exemplifies Ritchie's ability to blend tension with humour effectively.

Despite its uneven humour and an overabundance of characters that contribute to pacing issues—making it feel at least thirty minutes too long—RocknRolla remains an entertaining film overall. It successfully revitalised Ritchie's career by achieving commercial success while providing audiences with an engaging cinematic experience. Within its particular context, it stands as more than just a watchable piece of cinema; it can be recommended even to those who are not particularly fond of British gangster comedies or those who consider themselves ardent fans of Ritchie.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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