ROCKNROLLA

I think things are looking up for Guy Ritchie, now that he's left Madonna. The evidence is in this film, the latest installment in his "the only good movies I can make must involve gangsters" oeuvre. And hey, I'm proud of him. Why wander around in creative darkness trying something new when you can just stick to what you know? Look at Danny Boyle: low-budget is his calling. And apparently anything involving the word "wanker," some guns, animals eating people and a male-centric cast bursting with homosexual undertones belongs to Guy.

Clearly, ROCKNROLLA is great. I'm a super-fan of Guy Ritchie--I admit I even saw SWEPT AWAY, ridiculous--so I know I'm biased, but I freakin loved this movie. It lacks the sharp, albeit slightly Hollywood, wit of SNATCH (which I actually preferred to LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS), but it ain't half bad for a comeback, kid. And might I add: I'm so happy to finally be hitting a good movie streak (does two movies count as a streak?).

ROCKNROLLA centers around an "old school" gangster, Lenny Cole (played brilliantly by Tom Wilkinson), who tries to get rich off new school money--from a Russian, natch. Unfortunately, his estranged stepson, a fearless, coked-out rocknrolla--that is, rock musician of the Pete Doherty or Sid Vicious persuasion--gets in the way and makes business difficult. Star performances go to Gerard Butler, who may soon replace Clive Owen as my favorite beat-up British bad boy (if ol' Clive keeps doing flicks like THE INTERNATIONAL, that is); Tom Hardy, who plays Handsome Bob, the not so closet gay gangster (who might be Guy--I have my inklings); Karel Roden, who plays our cold-as-ice Russian, Uri; Thandie Newton, the lone lass in this heist; and Toby Kebbell, who lost a lick of weight to carry off the part of our nefarious rocknrolla, Johnny Quid. It's a great cast, a confusingly twisted but exciting ride, and--as he has proven he can--Guy carries it off admirably. I'm looking forward to the sequel. That's right, lords and ladies; it's in the works.

plot: Stolen painting creates thug trouble.
thought: Was that Jeremy Piven? And Ludacris?
in five: 3.5/5

rock out: http://rocknrolla.warnerbros.com/
see it in LA: click here