Rock N Rolla (2008) Rated R, 114
Minutes
Before I even get started it is
imperative that I let you know
Yes there are “Levels to this stuff” as Meek Mill put it so eloquently.
Rock N Rolla is a crime comedy movie
that delivers style and substance and a freaking sweet soundtrack (no
Meek Milly Mills is not on the movie soundtrack the music here is
much much MUCH better than his) This movie takes the viewer to all
the different levels of London's underground world of crime and
connects them all with a mysterious lucky painting. Don't worry Guy
Ritchie doesn't go all Monuments Men on you with tons and tons of
works of art but it does keep you on your toes because the dialogue
is witty and very very European and there is not a damn thing wrong
with that.
There are three sides to this story
first, there is the extremely wealthy but also extremely gangsta
Lenny Cole and his top goon Archie who are on the greazy side of the
real estate industry in London. Then there's The Wild Bunch a group
of mid level thugs who are in the business of being British gangstas
and finally there is The Rockstar himself Johnny Quid who is kind of
doing his own thing but hes still involved in everything going on and
when he shows up you always get an awesome song. Each group has
their own set of side characters as well. All three of these groups
intersect with each other due to their entangled alliances but there
is enough tea, crumpets, cigarettes, glasses of whiskey and
fascinating dialogue to go around.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooh! Hold up wait a minute let me put some
in it!
This movie is as stylish as it gets but
it has a great story to go with it. Like I said earlier it is really
about a missing painting but there is so much more to it. The
dialogue is so engaging especially for an American because the actors
say some hilarious phrases that I have adopted into my own daily
language like “ Bon Voyage and Fuck Off!” (Which means 'Please go
away sir') In case you didn't know the UK is freaking awesome and
they also don't allow civilians to legally carry firearms. Not to
get off topic but it makes perfect sense and if the US could adopt a
similar policy maybe we wouldn't have such a problem with looney toon
mofos shooting up random places? But enough of my liberal hippy
mumbling and grumbling. I said all of this because in one scene The
Wild Bunch rob two accountants (not to be confused with The
Accountant who is played by the super sexy Thandie Newton in this
movie) for 7 million dollars in a comedic scene that has no violence
what so ever. The guys ask “Is this a robbery?” and The Wild
Bunch members say “Yep hand over the keys and the cash”
That scene sets up an awesome action
sequence later in the movie but the style in this movie is so
different from most and with the comedic backdrop it all makes sense
that these wealthy business men would have goons to do the dirty
work. As the movie goes on you can feel the Pulp Fiction influence
all over and its done in a way that doesn't scream rip-off, but the
similarities are not subtle you have a dark haired woman with an
attitude? Check. A charismatic black guy and a charismatic white guy
working for a mob boss? Check and a very important item that we never
get to see but all the characters marvel at it when they do? Triple
Check. That said this movie doesn't re-invent the wheel but it does
make the wheel into a really cool looking wheel from a foreign
country. Enough metaphors, much like Pulp Fiction there is top-notch
character development, lots of goofy conversations and explanations
but again its all done in a way that isn't annoying or overly done
you will wonder why some information is being given but it all pans
out. There is a fair amount of homosexual humor but its all pretty
tasteful and not over done and thankfully no human hotdogs all up in
my TV screen grill.
After a really goofy dance scene
between Thandie Newton & Gerard Butler (more Pulp Fiction
influence) the second act of the movie ramps up the intensity and
urgency when The Wild Bunch has to pull off another 7 million dollar
robbery and this time there is 7 million dollars worth of security as
their should have been the first time. The fight scene between The
Wild Bunch and The Russian Hit men is awesome they brawl, they go all
old school WWF and smash each other with weapons they bleed
everywhere and then they bring out the machine guns. The song that
plays during this scene is awesome too if your like me it will find
its way into your workout mix ASAP.
But the problem is we get a lot of
tough talk throughout the movie and not enough ass whippin for my
taste the battle between The Hit men and The Wild Bunch is near the
end and the final showdown is a bit underwhelming. The twists in
this movie are great but it is more of a comedy movie than action
which loses points with me because its not like Guy Ritchie can't
direct an action scene it just feels like the biggest showdown
happened before the conclusion when we should have gotten an epic
rematch where they finish the fight. In fact the unkillable henchmen
who survive a car crash, multiple machine gun shots at close range
and getting the snot kicked out of them are killed off screen. This
wouldn't be a problem but when we see them in the epic fight they
take all of these shots and keep on coming just to die off screen
from gun shots. Its just anti-climatic and that is the only problem
I have with this film its very anti-climatic in the end. With all
the great dialogue and entangling alliances I was begging the movie
not to end and it just kind of ends with a few silent pistol head
shots. They do hint at a sequel and I would pay to see it in
theaters immediately Guy Ritchie has apparently already written the
script so wheres it at man!? Anyway find this movie and watch it IDK
if its a good date movie because I can't associate with women who
want to watch crappy movies in my presence but its an awesome movie
and pretty much a cult classic.
Overall I give this 8 Perfectly
Executed Back Hand Slaps out of 10
Maybe one day I'll get to go across the
pond for a bit of crack myself.
(Crack means fun in England, you bloody
wankers)
