Knocks spots off "The Full Monty"

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 1998)

From the moment the opening credits began to role I knew that I would enjoy this film. It's fast paced, wittily scripted, brilliantly filmed and non-stop hilarious from beginning to end. It appears to be a send up of the whole gangster mentality but manages to be disturbingly realistic at the same time (I know - I've met characters like many of those depicted). The violence may seem over the top but is more in the "Tom & Jerry" mould than a typical big screen gore-fest. What's more, it's never dwelt on but simply adds to the overall effect of extremely dark comedy.
The acting, especially from Nick Moran (Eddie) and PH Moriarty (Hatchett Harry) is top notch and Vinnie Jones is a revelation. Having seen him from just a few rows back on the football terraces, I've known for years that the man has a certain presence that demands your attention - even when he hasn't got another player's vitals in a vice-like grip! It's great to see that this has transferred onto the big screen where, yet again, it's difficult to keep your eyes off him, no matter who else is on the screen. Admittedly the role of Big Chris hardly stretched him but it's a start and it remains to be seen whether he'll ever tackle something more challenging (one of Shakespeare's many clowns would be interesting). Anyway, enough about Vinnie.
The almost surreal humour of the film was brought to the fore in the barman's scene (played by Danny John-Jules of "Red Dwarf" fame). It was hard to know what to pay most attention to: the subtitles at the bottom of the screen or the scene being played out behind it. The overall effect was quite literally shockingly funny and for those not well versed in Cockney dialect (yes -it is an actual dialect) it's worth seeing again until you've mastered the language and can enjoy the full effect of the action.
With a body count more akin to a Jacobean tragedy than a Hollywood blockbuster, and the black wit and class acting to match, "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" reminds me of Danny Boyle's early days directing for the Royal Shakespeare Company before he went on to bigger and better things ("Shallow Grave" & "Trainspotting"). I'm sure he and his regular crew of writers, camera men (sorry, should that be camera persons?) and actors would be proud to have made a film such as this, which I hope those who were involved would take as a compliment.
Well, that's about it, I s'pose. All I can say now is.... "It's been emotional".