Brutally hard British crime

Rating: 8/10 (29 November 2009)

Four middle aged men attempt to recover a massive debt by stealing money and drugs with only a week to repay the biggest gangster in the business.
The first film for writer/director Guy Ritchie was, when released, a refreshing slap in the face of hardcore British crime that had been somewhat lost and with a relatively unknown cast this proved indie works and what a wake up call this was to the dimension of British cinema and film making.
After Danny Boyle's refreshingly controversial Trainspotting a few years previously this launched British cinema further onto the world stage through its heavy political gangster world and heavy use of drug and violence.
Since Quentin Tarantino arrived in the early 1990's violence and drugs in cinema have been dealt with in a freer environment. Who could forget Mia Wallace's coke taking sequence? And the Brits have followed that through with an equally effective use.
Opening with a good fast narration of no nonsense attitude, this is how it is, we have the unseen protagonist showing us who the movers and shakers are and what the game is all about. This quick fire introduction scene setting is great as we can steadily move forward without looking back and whilst there is an overhaul in characters to begin we can settle and watch the adventure unfold.
After a cleverly shot card game the main characters find themselves in desperation to recover £500,000 within a week which spells delicious entertainment for all watching as stealing, robbery and gambling are all encoded for ensuing mayhem and just like Snatch and layer Cake this whole situation is exceptionally serious, but has a great balance of being inappropriately humorous. The feet through the table, the attempted unrehearsed robbery even the character one liners will have us chuckling away and this being the catalyst for the future is a great reminder to where it all started. Don't expect any James Bond styling here this is all gung ho action specked dialogue with a rural frustration that spices with dark comedy that makes it unique and is highly appreciated as Guy Ritchie's most thought provoking and equal best.
On a personal level I find Snatch to have the edge owing to the excellent montages and easier to distinguish protagonists, not to mention the whole business of fighting intermixed with other crime concepts fits together perfectly. This 1998 picture has a few holes, just a few. There is an overhaul of characters and it is quite hard on first or second viewing to remember who is who and where. Plus the synchronization of perfect timing can backfire in a few scenes.
Apart from that and the unnecessary swearing this is a brutally hard riveting crime drama that flies high with comedy and perfectly started the hard nut crime segment of excellent British gangster films.