Hmmmmm Ok but not great

Rating: Null/10 (5 June 1999)

'Shut It You Slaaaaaag!' After watching Lock Stock & two smoking barrels I suddenly feel the urge to turn into a London Gangster, because, lets face it kids. Gangsters are coooolll. You Love 'Um, I love 'um, everyone including Scorsce & Tarantino loves 'um
OK, this movie has been winning many a plaudit, not just from the UK but from all over the world for it's fast talking gangsters & comic plot twists. My Friends love it, My Workmates love it, even the bloke down the Pub has to tell me what a great film it is. In fact I recently got told by a portly fellow who seemed to have had too many Vodka's who was travelling on a train with me, that Graham Green's novel Brighton Rock was based on Lenny McLean who played Barry The Baptist. I smiled and agreed with him, not sure whether to tell him that Brighton Rock was written 60 years ago.
So whats so great about this film with a cast made from unknown actors & real life criminals and Footballers. Well Absolutely nothing really.
Although I will admit that the film was funny at time's in a 'laugh out loud' kindda way. The Dialoge still seems a bit crap, If I may be frank. All the lines are written (& said for that matter) in the style of Michael Caine on a bad day, there seems to me no attempt to ever act as such in this film & how everyone says that Vinny Jones Acts well is beyond me due to the fact he doesn't seem to have to. However maybe this is missing the point, maybe Guy Ritchie wanted the dialogue to sound like a bad Michael Caine film, there lies the joke, however I've got other criticisms.
Lets look at some plot characteristics. A group of young, small time crooks. One of them upsets a big guy & has a contract on him, the action also revolves around a bar. Basically it's Mean Streets with a dope sub-plot & a happy ending.
Also a major problem is the direction & camerawork. At time's the film turned from a film & attempted to experiment with editing & camerawork, this would be fine apart from the fact that nothing was experimental & looked more like a pop promo, this wasn't helped by a largely trendy soundtrack.
So in sum shouldnt really have been in the cinema, MTV would have been a better place for it. The sooner Guy Ritchie works with Pop Bands the sooner, for here his talent at film making (or lack of) can be worshipped