Very good, but Snatch surpasses it.

Rating: 7/10 (30 November 2011)

This film must show Americans that not all the English speak with posh accents and act in pretentious ways. Whenever I watch an American sitcom or film portraying someone British I find myself on my high horse as hardly anyone speaks in the way they think we do. If we give all Americans this film to watch they will soon realise that England isn't as pretty in pink as they seem to believe. This film is gritty, dark, humorous and filled with all kinds of cockney rhyming slang that Americans would need subtitles. This is the London they all fail to see.
The film is about four friends, one of whom Eddy (Moran) is a brilliant card player due to his ability to read people's emotions during a game of cards. Being onto what they believe as a winning deal, the group all pitch in twenty five thousand pound for him to use in an underground card game. Little do they know however that Hatchet Harry, the organiser of the game, doesn't believe in a fair game and cheats his way to taking all Eddy's money and incurring him a five hundred thousand pound debt on top of that. The debt also includes his friends who will all start losing their fingers if they don't repay in seven days. The friends have no idea where to start but manage to overhear their drug dealing neighbours discussing their plan to steal a large amount of money from some incompetent drug dealers. Eddy's plan is to rob these guys once they have robbed the other guys. Meanwhile two antique shotguns have just been priced at three hundred thousand pounds and Hatchet Harry sends two scouse lads in to steal them. Miscommunication construes and Eddy and the gang end up with five hundred thousand pounds worth of cash and two antique shotguns. Breathing down their neck are also the neighbours, the incompetent drug dealers and their dangerous boss, Hatchet Harry and his cronies and Big Chris (Vinnie Jones) who 'collects' for Harry.
The film plays out with lots of interweaving plot lines and several twists and turns all filled with irony. Each twist and turn ends up with someone not realising just what they have a hold of. For example the group find themselves in possessions of the guns which would solve all their problems but they have no idea that these guns are actually of some value. Also the two scouse lads tracking down the guns don't realise they are actually hunting down the person they robbed them for in the first place. The plot is completely confusing and will make no sense in writing but to watch it you will see exactly what I mean.
The script is fantastic, all the dialogue is realistic and well thought out and the majority of the acting is spot on, especially from Moran, Flemyng, Fletcher and Statham. The opening five minutes set it all up with an Only Fools and Horses style selling technique. Bacon (Statham) is attempting to flog some dodgy jewellery before being chased by the police. The dialogue and acting in this sequence sets us up for the acts to follow and really creates the world that we will be living in for the next two hours. Bravo Mr Ritchie a compelling script you have bought to our attention. One scene that is brilliant is when the neighbours are locked in a cage during the robbery and are being shot at with an air rifle. The whole sequence is fantastic.
However the film does have its downfalls. At times there are just too many characters and people are introduced and then disappear for long periods before returning and others show up so late you wander why they were bothered with in the first place. In the end it does all come together but throughout the overuse of characters sometimes makes the plot seem a little disjointed.
I personally think this is a very good film but it has to be your cup of tea otherwise you won't enjoy it. It is one of Guy Ritchie's best films but certainly not his best, Snatch gets that award hands down. I believe that if I was reviewing this film in 1998 then I would be more impressed but as I am viewing it after I've seen Snatch particularly, I can't rate it quite as highly. It is a good film but I suggest you watch it before Snatch. That way you will be treated to a very good film followed by a great one.