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Illustrations by Kagan McLeod

TIFF.TOSEPTEMBER 4 - 13, 2008

September 2008

RocknRolla

09/12/08
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(Guy Ritchie) 114 mins.


Just when he was running the risk of forever being known as the once-promising director who went on to marry Madonna and make tragically sub-par movies, Guy Ritchie has redeemed himself with RocknRolla. Sure, he did so by returning to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, but why quibble? RocknRolla is a sexy, entertaining caper through London’s underbelly, populated by Tom Wilkinson’s Lenny (a shady crime boss—is there any other kind?), Gerard Butler’s One-Two (a catastrophe-prone hustler) and Thandie Newton’s Stella (a risk-taking accountant to the rich and criminal). The film tracks the characters as they strategize how best to exploit London’s lucrative real estate market, but the plot isn’t really the point. The payoff comes in witnessing the stylish camera work, hearing the crackling dialogue and watching bad boys be bad boys. In Ritchie’s world, why even choose between sex, drugs and rock and roll? A real rocknrolla wants it all. So do we.— Stéphanie Verge