Guy Ritchie was a cult phenomenon. He rocketed onto the scene with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and soon after created Snatch, which is on the top 10 list of most 20-something film fanatics. The filmmaker then married Madonna, who seemingly sucked all the creative life out of Richie’s career.
Well good news, Richie has announced that he will return to the genre that launched his career. The filmmaker wrote a script titled RocknRolla, which he will direct under Joel Silver’s Dark Castle Entertainment production company. Right now all we know is that it will be in the same vein as the filmmaker’s previous ensemble British gangster films.
Update: Variety has shed some details on the plot of the film:
A Russian mobster orchestrates a crooked land deal, putting millions of dollars up for grabs and attracting all of London’s criminal underworld. A dangerous crime lord, a sexy accountant, a corrupt politician and a band of petty thieves are among those double-crossing one another. Pic’s budget will be under $20 million.
Call me skeptical, but I think Riche’s time has passed. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
May 14th, 2007 at 9:21 am
Ritchie lost all creditibility with Revolver. What a complete disaster.
Getting back his roots I doubt will bring him back to his best.
May 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Geoffrey Fleming brings up a good point. What about Revolver? Was it even released stateside? I can’t recall one or the other. My guess is that it wasn’t released here since it didn’t do well, critically or commercially, in the UK. At least Madonna wasn’t in it, so that’s a plus right there.
Either way, I’m seriously doubtful about the prospects for his next film. Smacks of desperation to re-use all the elements and narrative tricks that initially made him successful. We’ll see, I guess.
May 15th, 2007 at 11:32 am
To the best of my knowledge Revolver got a very low key release in the US because it got such a slaying with the critics and audiences alike. One of the worst films I’ve ever watched. And I am a huge Lock Stock/Snatch fan but even with these gems under his belt Revolver was a complete polar opposite to both movies. I expect rehashed everything in this new movie trying to get the old magic back.
June 26th, 2007 at 10:01 am
The comments I’ve read about Revolver ever since it came out are just more more indications of how lazy the general viewing audience has become over the last few years. Watch revolver with and open mind, and you just might find a really good film. It’s in there, but you have to work at it, which I gues is too much to ask from people these days. Or maybe because Snatch and Lock Stock were so fun and not complex that people refuse to accept a film which is inherently an arthouse abstract study of mythic archetype. Did lose you already? I’d put up a lot of money that if the same movie had been released in the US under the name of kar wai wong or fernando meirelles the reaction would have been fundamentally different.
July 22nd, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Hoosier Daddy you’re singin’ my song! You just made me want to see Revolver even more!! Since a US release is doubtful, I’m hoping we’ll at least get the DVD soon! And frankly…I’m waiting with baited breath for Rocknrolla!
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:18 am
I have to agree with Hoosier, after the first viewing of Revolver i had that “what the F….” feeling but after viewing it a second time, I began to see more and more layers and in turn realised thre was a hell of a lot more depth about the “Ultimate Con”.
Lock Stock & Snatch are great but Revolver is in a totally different class and if your films to give food for thought, few are as good as this!