RocknRolla [15]

RocknRolla, the latest film from Guy Ritchie, is a slick and witty, very British gangster film with a retro feel that informs the opening sequences and a large part of the film's look. The plot is centred around a deal between Lenny (Tom Wilkinson), a key figure in the British criminal underworld, and the head of a Russian gang who is involved in a building scam in London. When a painting owned by the Russian boss is loaned to Lenny and inadvertently finds its way into the hands of his crack addict stepson Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell), a rock star allegedly based on Pete Doherty, the stage is set: heads will roll, guns will be toted and someone will be eaten by crayfish ...

The plot has lots of twists and turns and keeps you constantly gripped and entertained, its humour bubbling away even as people are getting kneecapped. The ensemble cast all put in stellar performances and it's to the writer's credit that you never feel dislocated by the switching and swapping between subplots and characters from various factions - whether it be the friendship between One Two (Gerard Butler) and Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy, and yes he is very handsome), or the thrillseeking ways of bored accountant Stella (Thandie Newton).

This is a popcorn movie with balls which echoes the successes of Ritchie's Lock Stock ... and Snatch. RocknRolla relies on cliches in the best possible way, employing and overturning them to push forward the plot and garner a wry smile from the audience at the same time. I couldn't possibly say how on the money it is but I suspect it presents an idea of gangster life rather than a reality - suspend disbelief and prepare yourself for a rollicking good time without asking too many questions, and you will indeed enjoy yourself. This is a film which makes no apologies for being an out and out, dyed in the wool, good old fashioned gangster movie and is all the better for it: a return to form for Mr Madge, I admit I was pleasantly surprised by how watchable it is. With RocknRolla, Ritchie has again elevated the British gangster flick from its place in the shadows of its American counterparts. If you fancy a fun night out at the pictures, you could do much worse than this sharp and stylish effort.

Lindsey Davis (Unverified), 28/09/08

---