Review of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) by Paul V — 24 May 2015

The movie gives us an introduction into each key character by our narrator Alan Ford; these stereotypical Cockney introductions are great and entertaining, giving us a teaser of each character.

The movie is based around the journey of four close friends (Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran & Jason Statham) and their run in with an east end gangster Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty) after a card game goes sour.

This movie is hilarious (I mean the script is amazing) the Cockney slang (there is a scene in subtitles for the less Cockney fluent) and the typical British banter throughout the movie makes these characters relatable (yes I can quote majority of the movie). I feel as though I need to mention one of my favourite characters of the movie Rory Breaker (Vas Blackwood) "The mad man with an afro" and his scenes with Nick the Greek (Stephen Marcus) are hysterical.

Back to the foursome who are desperate to find a solution for their seemingly impossible situation the lads are forced to deal with some unsavoury types (more gangsters and crooks) as they come with an idea that could save them from losing their fingers. This then acts as a platform for movie to merge each subplot together to form a delicious cocktail of guns, gore, gangsters and a lot of weed.

For anybody watching this that isn't familiar with England, yes it really is that gloomy and wet (not an editing mistake).This movie does have an epic soundtrack (at the start when Ocean Colour Scene comes in really sets the tone of the movie) the tracks are carefully placed throughout the movie (just wait for the Zorba the Greek scene, it's a brutal ballet).

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is one of my favourite movies of all time and has everything you'd want from a British gangster movie. With running time of 107 minutes this movie somehow manages to tie everything up nicely within this time, nothing is rushed or longed out. If you haven't realised by now but this movie is for 18's and over (as you'd expect from any decent gangster movie).

Brit Classic.