Review of RocknRolla (2008) by Rob C — 29 Dec 2012

"People ask the question... what's a RocknRolla? And I tell 'em - it's not about drums, drugs, and hospital drips, oh no. There's more there than that, my friend. We all like a bit of the good life - some the money, some the drugs, others the sex game, the glamour, or the fame. But a RocknRolla, oh, he's different. Why? Because a real RocknRolla wants the fucking lot", as the narration at the beginning of the film moves forward, we're shown how a shady land deal shapes the many characters fortunes and losses in the film.

Much like Guy Ritchie's earlier work, RocknRolla steers itself down the same path, but with a slew of new characters and polished cinematography. The story has been written before, the dialogue has been heard before, just the faces have changed. And because of those examples, the film is pure character-driven. In place of Jason Statham is Gerard Butler, but here Ritchie doesn't focus on a central character. RocknRolla is made up of mini-stories, if you may, that are interwoven and blended to form a cocktail that's hard to deny. It gives the characters a chance to introduce themselves and doesn't follow a particular one throughout the film. That is what keeps the film out of bland territory and the viewers from walking out of the theaters. For people who know about Guy Ritchie and his directing, they know what to expect from each film he puts out. Since his inception with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Ritchie has made a name for himself as being the top British crime directer of recent years. This is the reason why I have a careful eye on his work, minus his real-life spouse in Madonna and her involvement with Swept Away. I can do without that film, though.