Criminals collide after a young man ends up in debt with a powerful
gangster and his only way out is to rob a gang of weed growers. COMEDY/CRIME
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Lock, Stock, and
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Over his long career, Guy Ritchie has become synonymous with the British crime caper. Mainly due to the amount he has made and the quality being consistently good with them. He has also created a style with them all featuring a comedic overtone, colorful characters, non-linear story structure, and showing us a colorful side to the British underworld. Now, all of this would have never happened if it wasn’t for his debut feature film: Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. A film where his style was evident from beginning to end and introduced us to Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones. This is the film which would launch Ritchie’s career and go on to be a classic of cinema.
Along with being the two aforementioned actors big screen debut, this would mark the first collaboration between Statham and Ritchie. One which I’m glad to see continue as the latter continues to show us a side of the former we don’t get to see often. Especially considering Statham’s status as a bona fide action star. As for Jones, he does play into his known tough guy persona while, thankfully, injecting a bit of humor into his character. He actually provides some of the film’s funnier lines of dialogue. Beyond these two, this is a film expertly handled by its writer and director. The style Ritchie has become known for is evident here with its colorful, memorable characters and non-linear storytelling. While it may seem slow to some at first because of it, it does pay off as the film progresses and the pieces start to fall into place. For his feature debut, this film shows why Guy Ritchie has become so well known for his crime capers. He has a style all his own which is so much fun to watch. He knows how to take elements, which shouldn’t blend well together at all, and make it work. Plus, we got The Stath out of this. That alone is a win in my book. |
This film is where Guy Ritchie began his reliable formula that he would perfect with Snatch. Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels is a riotous crime comedy with a great cast and a memorable group of heroes and villains. Fans of the mob genre will definitely enjoy this.
First of all, this is the first role of English action star Jason Statham, and he blends in nicely with Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, and Nick Moran as part of the gang of miscreants we're all rooting for. Vinnie Jones co-stars as Chris, the enforcer to Hatchet Harry, the man in charge, and shows yet again how underrated he is as an actor. While the film does take a while to get going, once everything starts picking up speed, the connections start becoming mind-blowing as everything intertwines the further down the rabbit hole we go. Overall, I enjoyed the film. I enjoy the work of Guy Ritchie and his big screen debut is a great introduction to his style. Ritchie's attitude is all over this film and his version of the London criminal underground is always a fun thing to see, particularly when he has such vibrant and bizarre characters. |