Review of RocknRolla (2008) by Wesley M — 03 Aug 2010

I gotta say I wasn't expecting too much from this film, yet I ended up getting more than I expected. This is an intricately woven, fast paced yet slow to unfold film that is driven by its colorful cast of characters, most of whom are interesting but still very hard to care about. The writing is probably the high point here, as they never and I mean NEVER miss a chance to poke fun at the people and events unfolding within. Its funny, to be sure, but it does demand that you pay attention or you'll either miss some throwaway gags or be lost in the jokes that have been set up over the course of several scenes.

Acting is solid all around, nobody in particular shines (except maybe Kebbel, its hard to tell if he's acting or channeling the spirit of a '70's rock star). Its hard to care about these characters, most of them don't have many redeeming characteristics, but there is some sympathy to be had here, amidst the moral bankruptcy.

I think the film's main problem is that it lacks a sense of direction and is often too smart for its own good, often slowing down or repeating things to make sure that the audience is keeping up. While that may be a courtesy for the viewer, it seemed a little condescending. The movie meanders from character to character and event to event and you don't get much sense of where its going to end up or if you should care that it does. It has a few twists that play out well, but they weren't set up with the much foresight, it seems, and instead we get more flashbacks to help keep the audience up to speed, rather than giving us some clues from the get-go.

There's really only one action sequence worth noting, but its not quite enough to justify watching the movie by itself.

You'll enjoy this if you're a fan of this particular genre, and your tolerance for the dialogue and events may hinge on your open-mindedness. But there is fun to be had here, especially if you watch it with friends.