The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015)

With the Cold War raging in full gear, the 1960's in pop culture was the decade of the spy, of international intrigue, of espionage. From James Bond, Matt Helm, Harry Palmer and Derek Flint in films to Mission: Impossible and Man from U.N.C.L.E. on television, audiences ate up their spy stories as quickly as possible. Me? I love 'em all, great, good, bad and awful. Naturally I was curious then when I found out a movie was being made about one of those 60's television series. It took me a couple weeks, but here we are with 2015's The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

It's 1963 in East Berlin and CIA agent (by blackmail) Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) is working a suspect with ties to a brilliant scientist capable of building a nuclear bomb. The problem? There's two. One, the scientist has been missing for years, and the suspect, his niece Gaby (Alicia Vikander), hasn't seen him in just as many years. Two, a KGB agent, Ilya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), is also looking for the scientist, creating a bit of a rivalry. There's an easy solution though that goes far above these agents' heads...work together to get the job done. With Ilya posing as Gaby's fiance and Napoloen as an antiquities dealer, the trio head to Italy to follow the evidence. What are they going to find? All sorts of glamorous, scandalous behavior with fanatics, lunatics and stashed away Nazis. What could possibly go wrong?

Running for four seasons in the mid-1960's, the original 'UNCLE' starred Robert Vaughn, David McCallum and Leo G. Carroll, capitalizing on the spy craze. I watched the first season and loved it (in all its black and white glory) but lost interest during season 2 as the tone got a little too spoofish for me. Still, the appeal of a franchise being created was pretty cool, and it took years to do and countless cast possibilities and what-ifs roaming around Hollywood. Well, it's here and from director Guy Ritchie, it is a great summer movie that's good for all the right reasons.

For starters, the biggest reason this reboot (of sorts) works so well is the style. My worry was that the series would be modernized for the film, two agents in 2015 working together toward a common goal. My worries were unfounded thankfully! Ritchie's film is set at the height of the Cold War, the nuclear paranoia ravaging the world. On a purely visual, style-based rating, 'UNCLE' is a freaking gem. The look of the movie from the Italian locations is gorgeous, but it's more than just the ridiculously colorful spy flick. It's the clothes and fashions, the cars, the aura hanging in the air, the 1960's gadgets, the little things that when assembled together end up bringing a movie up a notch or two. If you care NOTHING about the story, just sit back and appreciate the visual of one beautiful spy movie. Besides, you know the good guys are gonna win, right? Oh no, spoilers!

One of the cooler aspects of 'UNCLE' is the casting of Cavill and Hammer as our two rival agents. Both are up-and-coming stars who seem destined for bigger and better. We don't go in with the mindset of knowing these stars as if Tom Cruise and George Clooney had been cast, and that's a good thing. We get to know the characters a little bit. Cavill's Solo is a WWII vet turned master thief turned captured agent blackmailed into working for the CIA. Hammer's Ilya grew up in war-torn WWII Russia and watched his father be dragged away, setting something off in his young son. A brutally efficient agent, he is a physical specimen. It can be familiar at times, but the two rival agents getting to know each other angle works pretty well. And again, it doesn't hurt that there is a fresh quality to the casting with two young actors.

The reviews were kinda mixed about...well, a lot, but I really did like Cavill and Hammer. Cavill is so smooth and suave that he's a little wooden in scenes, but he does a good variation on a James Bond-esque thief and pickpocket. Hammer is the straight guy but sells it throughout, committing to the KGB agent seemingly without emotions. Vikander is excellent as their go-between, an impromptu spy trying to keep the two agents from killing each other. Hugh Grant and Jared Harris are brutally underused as two superior agents who are pulling all the strings. As for the villains, they're okay but could have been stronger. Elizabeth Debicki is the most memorable as the fanatical Victoria, a stinking rich nut, with Luca Calvani and Sylvester Groth as her two closest allies. No huge names anywhere in sight, but that's not an issue in the least.

I liked the first hour here and loved the second as the characters and story really hit their groove. We finally get into things, and the action and style mixes seamlessly with the witty banter and impeccable filming locations. The action is especially stylish, including one highlight as Napoleon stumbles across a factory worker's lunch while Ilya evades gunboats hunting him down. We see that action in reflections, in a mirror, and it's silent all the way, Napoleon dead-pan eating a sandwich. A large-scale attack later on an Italian island villa is done in montage and it works in a way I wouldn't have thought. Ritchie and Co. manage to strike quite a balance among all the moving pieces, blending that style, humor, cool characters and cooler action.

Also worth mentioning, the 1960's French and Italian-themed score from Daniel Pemberton, a gem of a score. There are times the catchy score even resembles something out of a spaghetti western. That little touch of flair adds something fun and different to the proceedings. Great score though, liked it a lot. 'UNCLE' isn't tearing up the box office unfortunately, as movie critics are pretty mixed while actual moviegoers seem to be enjoying it. The ending sets things up nicely for any future ventures (hopefully!) as you'd expect. Should there be a sequel, I hope we get a Vaughn and McCallum cameo at some point. Make it happen, Guy Ritchie! In the meantime, check this one out. It's a lot of fun throughout.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015): ***/****

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Even re-reading my review for 2009's Sherlock Holmes, I still can't quite put my finger on it. I liked the movie, but there were parts of it that just didn't work for me. It's a little schizophrenic, a lot nutty, and was missing that special element that turns a good movie into a very good one. So what's the difference then with its recent sequel, 2011's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows? Heck if I know, but I liked it a lot.

It's 1891, and a series of bombings across France and Germany have Europe on edge with countries teetering on the brink of war. Everyone has their theories about the reasoning for the bombings. Terrorists? Anarchists? Assassins? Quirky and eccentric London detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has been feverishly investigating the bombings and has come up with his own theory. A brilliant professor, Moriarty (Jared Harris), is Holmes' main suspect, but Holmes has no proof other than his own wild theories. With the help of his soon to be married loyal sidekick, Watson (Jude Law), Holmes goes about getting that evidence in a case that will have them traveling all over Europe and in all sorts of hijinks.

What's throwing me off here is a criminally simplistic issue. There is little difference overall between the 2009 film and this 2011 sequel. Director Guy Ritchie did a very capable job with the original as he does here. The two movies are almost identical lengths (129 to 128 minutes) and have the same look, feel and tone. All I can come up with is a somewhat more pointed feel to the proceedings. The action isn't so ridiculous. It isn't trying to be hysterically funny, just funny. The scope isn't IMMENSE. Even when a war among European countries looms, the point of view is on a personal level (i.e. Sherlock and Watson) and for me at least, more effective.

It is Guy Ritchie though, and it's got a certain charm and style unto itself. The look of the movie is great, 1890s Europe with its own unique look. It has a cluttered, busy look, but it works with the semi-schizo nature here. One of the best things going is Hans Zimmer's score. As needed, it's big and booming like a historical epic/period piece should be. The most memorable sample though is the main theme, or as I always think of it...Sherlock's theme which you can listen to HERE. It is the perfect quirky, eccentric theme for a quirky, eccentric hero. Yes, overall the script and story is too smart/clever for its own good at times with countless reveals of things we didn't know need to be revealed. Much more than the first movie though, I just had more fun watching this one.

That is no doubt easily chalked up to the continued success in casting. Robert Downey Jr. is one of my favorite actors, and he does a great job bringing Holmes to life. Again, this isn't the prim and proper Englishman. Downey's Holmes is quirky, eccentric, offbeat, brilliant, obsessively observant, and always one step ahead of his rivals. Law's Watson is the perfect sidekick; intelligent, smart and wise but in a way completely different from Holmes. The duo is basically the original Odd Couple. Holmes is upset that Watson is getting married (to Kelly Reilly from the original) and doesn't hide his feelings. Their friendship is basically a perfect match, the two longtime friends arguing like an old married couple. Noomi Rapace is wasted as Sim, a gypsy along for the ride with the duo. Harris is okay as the villain with Paul Anderson as his sharpshooting henchman. Rachel McAdams and Eddie Marsan briefly reprise their roles from the original with Stephen Fry playing Holmes' classier brother.

With a story that's all over the place and never really slows down, some set pieces stand out from the rest. The running gag of Holmes seeing and analyzing what's about to happen...and then doing exactly what he saw is used just the right amount. Not too little, not too much. A running chase/fight in a London casino with a Cossack assassin is impressive as is a chase and gunfight through a Moriarty-owned factory in France with some explosive results. The finale doesn't disappoint either as Holmes and Moriarty finally confront each other. End result? 'Shadows' knows when to tap the brakes where the original was more aggressively in your face. It makes all the difference.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows <---trailer (2011): ***/****

Revolver (2005)

With The Transporter, Crank and The Expendables series among a few other stand alone movies, Jason Statham is first and foremost an action star.  If anything of late, he's being typecast in the same part over and over again, not even an all-around action star. When given the chance to actually act, he's more than capable. He's just not getting that chance too often.  Working with frequent collaborator director Guy Ritchie, he got his chance in 2005's Revolver.  

After serving seven years in solitary confinement, Jake Green (Statham) is released from prison, and using a simple, effective and brilliant "formula" builds himself a fortune in just two years. He's got revenge on his mind, going up against Macha (Ray Liotta), the casino kingpin who helped put him away for all those years. Green does it in a flash, taking him for a cool fortune, but now Macha is gunning for him. Two loan sharks, Avi (Outkast's Andre Benjamin) and Zach (Vincent Pastore), mysteriously step to the plate offering to help Green survive...for a price. With no other options, Green agrees. Can his formula that helped him rise to fame help him now when he needs it the most?

Well, let's talk about Statham because other than his part -- and one supporting player -- I basically hated this movie. An action star of few words, this is a huge departure for the British actor. Statham shows he is more than capable of acting, not just beating the crap out of people in highly choreographed action sequences. His Jake Green, an ex-con looking for revenge, is battling with some inner demons of epic proportions.  He believes he's got it all figured out, but everything around him is trying to tell him otherwise. One monologue about halfway through is a great dramatic moment as is a late scene where Jake -- alone in a claustrophobic elevator -- forces himself to battle through his demons and issues. In a movie that defies a simple description, Statham's performance is lost in a maze of symbolism, metaphors and a pretentious existentialism that drove me nuts.

I like Guy Ritchie. I do. Snatch, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes, all entertaining, enjoyable movies. This isn't his best work. It's funny that the story focuses so much on ego and handling your own ego because the movie feels like a huge ego trip for the director. Look at me, I'm talented! With a Ritchie film, a certain amount of over-the-top style is to be expected, and that's fine. His personal directing style is aggressive, even in your face at times. How many directors have classical music playing over frenetic and/or slow motion action? There's convoluted, and there's this story. Characters drift around, pitting themselves against each other, guys shoot at each other, and somehow it's supposed to make sense. As near as I can figure, Avi and Zach are trying to "save" Jake from himself, but it is the most ridiculously complicated plan ever.

Okay, stories meant to confuse you, forcing you to piece things together. Thoughts? I'm all for it. I appreciate a movie that forces viewer interaction.  Ritchie makes his story not only confusing, but as mentioned before, pretentious. According to Wikipedia (the end all, be all for info), Ritchie was highly interested in Kabbalah while filming, taking some of those teachings and putting them into his story. Jake Green's reasoning for revenge -- which is never explained -- will open doors to something bigger. I thought I was getting one movie and got another. 'Revolver' is all about expanding your mind and refusing to be kept down by your own ego, your own greed and needs. Once you truly allow your mind to see, the potential and possibilities are unlimited. Really? That's where this movie is going? It took two hours of violent, pointless detours to get to that point? Yeah, I'll pass.

Not knowing what I was getting into when I picked this movie, my reasoning was Ritchie directing and the cast he assembled. Behind Statham's strong lead, Liotta is a good choice to play Dorothy Macha, gambling kingpin, if somewhat underused. In most of his roles, Liotta can be intensity on a crazy level, but here it works. It's needed. Over the top, yes, but we need this crazy, live-wire to counter Statham's Green. Benjamin and Pastore are supposed to be these mysterious, all-knowing loan sharks, but their "background" is left unexplained until the end so I never connected with either character. Terence Maynard is a scene-stealer as French Paul, Macha's right hand man, while Ritchie favorite (and JHP favorite too) Mark Strong is Sorter, Macha's personal hired killer, the best money can buy. Andrew Howard too is very good in a small part as Billy, Jake's brother caught up in the craziness.

I wanted to like this movie. I like Ritchie and much of his cast. There apparently was a reason Netflix didn't think I would like it though, and they were right.  A story with a more profound message that's trying to say something is rarely a bad thing. With Revolver though, it's wrapped up in a convoluted story with needless departures from the story that looking bad now, were unnecessary and served no purpose other than to confuse us intentionally. Some reviewers are quick to jump to "If you don't get it, you're stupid" (which is always a classy response; some people just don't like movies...doesn't mean they're dumb). Maybe it would be better with a second viewing where everything can be pieced together, knowing what's coming. On first viewing though, it wasn't good.

Revolver <---trailer (2005): * 1/2 /****

Snatch.

I find it hard to criticize a director for sticking with what he does best. Michael Bay does huge action movies, John Ford did westerns, Billy Wilder did smart comedies. There always seem to be departures from the norm, but when you're good at doing something, why go too far? I'm finding that's more the case with British director Guy Ritchie who is quickly climbing my list of currently working film directors.

Throw out Sherlock Holmes as a fun historical/period piece, and we're not even going to mention his ill-fated flick with then-wife Madonna, Swept Away. He has only had six feature length movies with his seventh coming this winter, a Sherlock sequel. I recently reviewed his first movie -- cult hit Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels which I loved -- and last fall was introduced to Ritchie's British crime thrillers with RocknRolla. With a limited filmography, it is easy to catch up with the whole Ritchie catalog, and I'm getting there after watching 2000's Snatch., his most highly rated movie to date.

Working with his longtime partner, Tommy (Stephen Graham), underground illegal boxing promoter Turkish (Jason Statham) is in it deep with old-time gangster, Brick Top (Alan Ford). Turkish needs a fighter to take a dive in the fourth round of a fight, picking gypsy, bare-knuckle fighter, Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt), but even he isn't sure if the unpredictable gypsy will take a dive. At the same time, a gambler/crook named Frankie Four Fingers (Benicio del Toro) pulls off a heist with an 86-karat diamond. He's trying to unload the diamond for some quick cash, setting up a deal with New York City broker, Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina), but before he can reach London, everything is thrown up for grabs. Pawn shop owners turned crooks, greedy bookies, low-level gangsters, enforcers and thugs, everyone wants their hands on this diamond, and by the end everyone and anyone will cross paths.

The story itself is cookie-cutter in terms of Ritchie's talents and ability. RockNRolla had a painting, Lock/Stock had two shotguns, and Snatch has a big, freaking diamond. Throw this one item into a pack of wild dogs -- crooks, criminals, thugs, gangsters -- and let them go to work on each other. What sets it apart though from other similar movies (Ritchie's style has inspired countless knockoffs) is this unique style and blend of black, dark humor, surprising graphic violence, and dialogue that crackles in every scene. His camerawork is fun to watch, and the pace nears frenetic but never becomes indecipherable. Ritchie makes his movie on a small budget, but it never reflects it in the finished product.

With countless characters to work with and a positive reputation following 'Lock, Stock,' Ritchie remains true to his roots here while still adding some big names to the cast. Brad Pitt is obviously the biggest name as the heavily bearded, heavily tattooed, gypsy, bare-knuckle fighter Mickey O'Neil.  The part is a credit to Pitt for taking a smaller role that ends up being one of the movie's best. He speaks in this lightning quick, mumbling, heavy Irish accent that makes it nearly impossible to follow without subtitles, but there's a charm to this character that Pitt brings to the table. Dennis Farina gets to play straight man to all the comedic chaos around him as Cousin Avi, a NYC diamond broker totally out of his element in the London underworld. Benicio Del Toro is in the movie for about six seconds so don't go in expecting him to be around long.

That is only three characters though in a sea of memorable characters. Statham and Graham are great together as Turkish and Tommy, two low level boxing promoters maneuvering for their lives when a deal goes wrong. Ritchie favorite Vinnie Jones plays Bullet Tooth Tony, an enforcer similar to the character he played two years earlier in 'Lock, Stock.' Rade Serbedzija is foreboding, intimidating and even funny as Boris the Bullet Dodger, a guns dealer who used to be a KGB agent. Ford as Brick Top provides some of the movie's funniest lines, ones you wouldn't think would be funny but his delivery sells it. Lennie James and Robbie Gee play Sol and Vinny, two pawn shop owners turned robbers with their not-so svelte getaway driver, Tyrone (Ade). What makes all this craziness work is that with limited screentime, each and every one of these characters gets a chance to shine. Some are more memorable than others, but not a one disappoints.

Beyond all the stylish camera work, the crazy, convoluted story, and graphic violence, I think the biggest selling point for Ritchie's movies is the incredibly dark -- and therefore a whole lot funnier -- humor. Ade's Tyrone is an obese getaway driver who can barely get in and out of his car. He refuses to park in a suitable parking spot because he claims there isn't room (there's plenty) and then shows what a crappy driver he is. Ford's Brick Top explains in graphic detail how to dispose of a body at a pig farm, a story that in no way should be funny but somehow is. Avi wants Tony to kill a dog because he believes the diamond is inside him, producing a series of great one-liners and reactions that had me roaring. Tony later tries to dispatch a rival, emptying a clip into him only to hear him deliver one line after another as he refuses to die. Out of context, maybe it's not that funny. But this movie is funnier than most straight comedies out there.

With Guy Ritchie movies, I think you're either going to love them or hate them. You will either embrace the crazy antics and the lunacy of what's going on, or it's just not going to appeal to you. As good as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels was, I think this is Ritchie's best movie up to now. Twisting and turning story, great script (written by Ritchie), and more memorable characters than I care to mention.

Snatch. <---trailer (2000): *** 1/2 /****

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

For a guy with only six feature films to his name (one among them considered an epic bomb), British director Guy Ritchie has certainly made a name for himself over the last 13 years, and a positive name for himself at that. His most recent movie, Sherlock Holmes, was a bit of a departure for Ritchie though, a period piece with his own unique vision and style.  Of the movies I've seen of his though, it's been my least favorite...by far.  He is most at home with crime thrillers, and his best may have been his first, 1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.  

Making this movie as a relative unknown in the late 1990s on a ridiculously small budget, Ritchie nonetheless shows a knack for moviemaking that just comes easy to some people.  All his trademarks that he's perfected over the last 12 years are there, to the point you have to wonder how long he'd been planning his moves out.  The almost schizophrenic story jumps from scene to scene in milliseconds, introducing and dispatching characters as quickly as they appear, a camera shooting style that is in your face and aggressive, and a labyrinth plot that crosses and intertwines left and right with everyone and everything crossing paths at some point. A movie that would certainly require repeated viewings to make sure everything actually works out, I still feel like I have a good grasp on the movie. I loved it.

Pooling their money together to join a high-stakes card game, longtime friends Eddie (Nick Moran), Bacon (Jason Statham), Tom (Jason Flemyng), and Soap (Dexter Fletcher), plan on big winnings if Eddie -- the most skilled card player among them -- can pull off a win.  Instead, they get hustled and end up owing 500,000 pounds to Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty), the local crime boss with ties in everything. The crew is given a week to get back the money for Harry or else they'll lose a finger each for each day they're late. But where would four working class bums get their hands on so much money in such a short time?  Eddie's got a plan to knock off their drug-dealing next door neighbors which sounds too good, too easy to be true.  Long story short? It is as Eddie and his friends end up in a convoluted deal with mobsters, low level thugs, black market dealers, a calm and cool collector, and a pair of 1800s shotguns that just keep popping up.

To try and actually explain Lock, Stock and all the workings of its plot would take several more, much longer reviews. That is about as mainlined a description as I'm going to be able to come up with.  As the story crisses and crosses though, it keeps you on your toes.  There are about 10 unifying links among all the convoluted mayhem, the key one being a pair of shotguns that Hatchet Harry wants to get his hands on.  You don't always see these links until the absolute last second, but that's part of the fun.  Looking back on the movie (having just finished it about 15 minutes ago), I'm positive I couldn't even begin to explain all the craziness.  In the moment though, it's convoluted without being confusing -- if that makes any sense at all.  You don't need to keep up. Just sit back and enjoy.

Last year I watched Rock N Rolla, my first real introduction to Ritchie and his ways in a British crime flick.  I loved it just like I loved this one.  The strongest aspect of the movies for me -- besides the stories -- are the characters, and there are a lot of them...too many to even keep straight without charts and graphs identifying and categorizing how everyone is connected.  The heart of these characters is the four friends, Bacon, Tom, Soap and Eddie, in their misadventures to get a crapload of money to save their lives.  Using them as an example, you get a sense of Ritchie's writing flair.  The dialogue among these old friends is quick and snappy, zingers thrown left and right, a natural give and take as they talk.  Statham has gone on to be the biggest star here, but the cast as whole (and not just these four) all fit together perfectly, just like the story does.

Trying to give you an idea of what I mean concerning the story, here's an attempt to identify all the key players.  Brace yourself, it's a doozy.  First, there's Winston (Steven Mackintosh) and his three-man crew, a bunch that grows and sells marijuana by the kilo and does it successfully. Winston works for Rory Breaker (Vas Blackwood), a black guy with an afro typically identified as a lunatic. Plank (Steve Sweeney) buys from Winston and is a low-level thug for Dog (Frank Harper), who has an idea to rob Winston's lab for all his weed and cash on-hand. Meanwhile, Harry's muscle, Barry the Baptist (Lenny McClean), is working with two of the lowest level of thieves, Gary and Dean (Victor McGuire and Jake Abraham), to get a pair of shotguns for Harry. All this time, Big Chris (Vinnie Jones) works as a collector, intimidating and bullying for Harry. Middleman Nick the Greek (Stephen Marcus) is trying to keep countless plates spinning, working deals with just about everyone else already mentioned. Oh, and Sting plays Eddie's dad, JD.

Enough for you?  Yeah, me too.  There's something I'm missing here as I try and explain why this movie works. I just can't put my finger on it.  It's funny, genuinely laugh out loud funny. It's got plenty of action, gunfights, shootouts and brawls throughout.  It's got style to spare, and more than enough story for two or three of the most convoluted Seinfield episodes ever. The soundtrack is full of Indie, punk and Brit rock (check it out HERE) It has a low-budget look to it that appeals to me because it isn't so spic and span, so perfectly polished. Directing and writing the movie, Ritchie clearly had a ton of fun putting it all together. It is painfully obvious to see why. The movie deserves the cult following it has received over the last 10-years plus.

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels <---trailer (1998): *** 1/2 /****    

RocknRolla

Before I saw Sherlock Holmes last winter, my knowledge of Guy Ritchie was limited to knowledge of a couple cult classic British crime stories, his marriage to Madonna and subsequent disastrous movie starring Mrs. Ritchie.  I liked Sherlock Holmes but didn't love it, and looking at his short list of movies none of them really jumped out at me, especially 2008's RocknRolla.  I remember seeing the trailer and thinking it looked like an annoyingly ultra-stylish story that knows it's cool and is going to take every opportunity it gets to show you how cool it is.  But then I really looked at the cast, and thought I had to at least give it a try.  I'm glad I did.

Ritchie has taken all sorts of abuse over the years for everything from his directing style -- as a Tarantino rip-off -- to his not-so private life with Madonna.  And even in a period piece about one of literature's most famous characters, Ritchie was able to make it an ultra-stylish period piece.  Not having seen Snatch or Lock, Stock... but knowing their reputation, it seems Ritchie is most at home in the London underworld where heavy accents and dialects dominate and everyone and anyone will turn on you for a buck.  RocknRolla is at times convoluted, at times overly concerned in its style, but in the end a very enjoyable, very entertaining British crime caper.

When a business deal goes south, two members of a British gang called the Wild Bunch, One Two (Gerard Butler) and Mumbles (Idris Elba), find themselves in needs of some quick cash, turning to an icy accountant (Thandie Newton) for some inside information.  The man they owe, criminal kingpin Lenny Nelson (Tom Wilkinson), doesn't necessarily need the money, but principle is principle.  Lenny, with right hand man Archy (Mark Strong), is caught up in a real estate deal with a Russian businessman (Karel Roden), who loans Lenny a famous, lucky painting of his until the deal can be completed. The painting wastes no time disappearing, and Lenny is up the creek, even more so when he finds out his stepson, drugged out rocker Johnny Quill (Toby Kebbell), is the thief. So it goes as all these crooks work to save their own backsides, a vicious cycle as One Two and Mumbles end up stealing the money that Lenny is due from the Russian, the painting playing a key role, and in the end everyone is going to run into each other.

Screwy enough for you?  There were times as all these various storylines cross and re-cross that I wondered if I was watching a Seinfeld episode.  But like the best Seinfeld episodes, Ritchie fixes everything in the end as all these characters, storylines and predicaments come together, everything tied up nicely with a bow.  Confusing at times, surely, but never to the point where you feel lost.  Because there is so much going on, you're not always sure quite where everything is going, but it's fun to go along for the ride.  At a certain point, you just go along and enjoy some really cool characters interact in some very stylish ways.  The London criminal underworld never looked so good.

The characters I included above covers about half the actual cast.  Jeremy Piven and rapper Ludacris have two small parts as Johnny Quill's former manager roped into helping Lenny get his painting back.  Tom Hardy plays Handsome Bob, a member of the Wild Bunch and friend of One Two and Mumbles.  There's other characters that drift in and out, but those are the biggies.  Two main storylines dominate all the action, Wilkinson and Strong as the kingpin and his tough as nails assistant trying to track down a stolen painting (the ridiculousness of the premise somehow works perfectly) while Butler, Elba and Hardy keep going after piles of money just waiting to be stolen.

Going away, my favorite parts of RocknRolla was the Wild Bunch.  They have a great dynamic among all the members of a gang that isn't low-level crooks but isn't top-shelf thieves either.  They're somewhere in between, knowing their place in the underworld.  Butler has struggled finding good roles since the success of 300, but this is a very funny gem for him.  Elba is equally perfect in an underused part as Mumbles, and Hardy (another great supporting part along with this summer's Inception) has a great twist to his character that produces some very funny results.  The high point for the Wild Bunch is a robbery gone bad when two Chechnyan thugs do everything they can to protect the cash they're guarding.  A running, chaotic chase scene with some great dark humor, knock down violence runs for almost 10 minutes and is the runaway favorite for the best scene in the movie.  Watch a portion of it HERE. The end of course says the Wild Bunch will be back, and I'm looking forward to it.

As strong as the cast was, I was skeptical going into this movie and ended up really liking it.  Almost every member of the cast is given their own chance to shine and none disappoint.  Wilkinson is his smarmy, intimidating best, Strong's narration is dripping with subtle humor, Newton is a sexy femme fatale that film noir would be jealous of, Butler, Elba and Hardy have a chemistry that speaks to longtime friends, and in the big picture, the stylish elements never go overboard.  Ritchie has a real winner here.  If I can offer any advice, watch the trailer below, but don't hold it against the movie. Don't do what I did, and hold it against the movie.

RocknRolla <---trailer (2008): ***/****

Sherlock Holmes

Never one to pull punches with his movies, it was not surprising to hear that director Guy Ritchie's take on famed and loved literary character Sherlock Holmes was going to veer slightly from the classic image of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character. The somewhat accepted version of Holmes is a rather stately gentleman who is an expert in using little clues to solve much bigger mysteries. He is well-dressed, well-spoken and highly intelligent. Enter Richie who takes Holmes and does a complete 180 with him, most of the time for the better in the recently released Sherlock Holmes.

The casting choice for Holmes could be seen as an odd one -- American actor Robert Downey Jr. -- but that's the least of the movie's troubles. I shouldn't say that, it sounds too negative, but the movie does have it's flaws. Downey Jr. takes Ritchie's idea and runs with it, transforming the renowned detective into a scruffy brawler who is nonetheless a highly observant, highly intelligent individual who is as likely to throw a punch and down some booze as he is to solve a case. To say the least, Downey Jr. makes him an eccentric and to the movie's benefit.

Working with his sidekick and roomate (more on that later) Dr. Watson (Jude Law), London detective Sherlock Holmes prevents a serial killer, Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), from killing his sixth female victim in an exciting opening sequence. Blackwood is imprisoned and hung some three months later with Watson pronouncing him dead at the scene. It's not long though before the police come in search of Holmes' help. Blackwood has apparently risen from the dead and looks to keep a promise he made to Holmes; he'll continue to terrorize London and then later England, the U.S. and the entire world. Not a believer in black magic in the least, Holmes goes about solving the mystery which gets murkier when a woman from his past, Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams), gets involved.

Sherlock Holmes received somewhat mixed reviews but is still raking in the cash in theaters. I love going to the movies and was excited to see this one, but still came away like I had missed something. It was a movie I wanted to love but only ended up liking it. Thinking back on it, I can't even figure out why which confuses me even more. Maybe it was the audience I saw it with, but the humourous elements fell short. There were some chuckles here and there but never any laugh out loud moments. Making Holmes a brawler works in two early scenes as he explains in voiceover how he'll win the battle through slow-motion and then does it in the matter of a second or two. But with the exception of the finale, the action seems oddly out of place and even slows the movie down.

The casting is not surprisingly the best part of the movie. Downey Jr. has another successful franchise on his hands if he wants it (yeah, yeah, the ending leaves the door wide open for a sequel) and breathes life into a character that might have been rather stuffy with another actor. Playing loyal Watson, Jude Law matches Downey step for step and scene for scene. His Watson is the straight man to Holmes' antics, but he's also an ally -- sometimes unwillingly so -- in Holmes' adventures. As for the roommate thing, I'm still trying to decide if Ritchie tried to make the two characters come off as gay. There's obviously a bromance going on here with Holmes and Watson bickering like an old married couple, especially now that Watson is engaged. Their relationship is played for laughs and works nicely, providing some of the movie's best moments and many of those already mentioned chuckles.

Rounding out the lead trio, Rachel McAdams handles herself well as Irene Adler, a female version of Holmes, an ass-kicking con woman who's duped Sherlock at least twice. It's not the best-written part and she disappears for extended segments in the 1st hour, but McAdams makes the most of it. One other fault that comes to mind is the lack of a strong villain. Strong's Blackwood just isn't given enough development, and the explanations in the end for his other-worldly abilities take his character down another notch. As an intellectual, he's a perfect foe for Holmes but the part feels underwritten. Eddie Marsan has a good part as a London inspector, Robert Maillet plays an enormous thug who keeps crossing paths with Holmes and Watson, and Kelly Reilly is Mary, Watson's fiance who must fight with Holmes for his affection.

I'm definitely going to have to think some more about this one because it has all the elements of what could have been a really exciting, very professional movie. Composer Hans Zimmer assembled an atypical score that works nicely, including a catchy theme for Holmes. The cast is very reliable and the story is interesting enough, but something just didn't click for me. I'd still recommend seeing it, but it's not a very strong recommendation. I liked this movie, but I wanted to love it.

Sherlock Holmes <----trailer (2009): ** 1/2 /****