RocknRolla

I got free tickets to a pre-screening of Guy Ritchie's new film RocknRolla last night. I got to the cinema at 6 and was shocked to see the opening credits rolling when I sat down as the ticket had said 6:30 start... so imagine my annoyance when the film stopped after 25 minutes and an usher popped his head round the corner and informed us that they'd got the times messed up and the film would restart from the beginning in 15 minutes!

Anyway, after sitting through the first 25 minutes of the film all over again, I managed to settle into the movie and start to enjoy it. The plot involves a dead rock star, a painting, and of course a load of double crosses and dodgy deals. The film is narrated by Archie, second hand man to Lenny, a mob boss who deals in corporate and big money property scams. Lenny makes big bucks from paying off government officials, lawyers and anyone else who may stand in his way. When some small time criminals, the wild ones, steal money from a Russian millionaire meant to pay Lenny to make some government red tape disappear, paths begin to intermingle and before you know it everyone is stepping on everyone's toes and stealing from each others pockets. In true Guy Ritchie style, the plot is fast paced, intertwining and complicated, but not to the extent that it's difficult to follow. The dialogue has his trade mark Eastend humour, along with quick fire rappor and more twists and turns than a curly wurly.

The characters are varied and surprising, each with definitive personalities, quirks and roles. Tom Wilkinson plays an excellent old school east end gangster, Lenny Cole, as do the rest of the wild ones (all with fantastic nicknames such as Cookie, Handsome Bob, One Two, Mumbles and Bandy). I found myself laughing out loud along with the rest of the cinema at so many one liners from so many characters. Jokes that I think will just go right over the tops of American heads to be honest. A real shame as it's definitely on par with Ritchie's other great films Lock Stock and Snatch. I'd definitely recommend anyone to go and see it if you enjoyed the aforementioned movies, as you're guaranteed to like RocknRolla. It gets my thunbs up for sure.