Quite a riot

Rating: 8/10 (4 August 2011)

A comedy/action/crime/thriller with a plethora of eccentric characters whose stories all intertwine. Can it work? Yes it can. Snatch is the second feature film from the uniquely spectacular visionary, Guy Ritchie. It tells the story of two partners who are getting involved in fixed boxing matches, a group of violent bookmakers, a slick and dangerous Russian gangster, incompetent amateur thieves, and allegedly Jewish jewelers who are all in search of a priceless diamond that was recently stolen. The story is a twisty, wacky, and all around nutty blast that is characterized more by its unique visual style than anything else.
Guy Ritchie has a very unique vision that he tries desperately to make work. The visual nuance of Snatch is cartoonish in a way. It is filled with tilted cameras, wacky close-ups, and exciting slow motion that twists the films humor around its sleek and suave attitude. The whole atmosphere of Snatch is a kind of faux macho-man feel. The characters look mean and act tough, when really they are a bunch of incompetent buffoons who only get anything done through sheer coincidence. It leaves an ironically hilarious taste in your mouth that is non-stop entertaining. It's the ambiance and visual flare that makes Snatch what it is, an awesome and fun filled ride that never lets up and never slows down the action.
Snatch is a ridiculously fun film with a very unique style and a plot that sits right under the very high bar that the visual style sets. There's nothing inherently wrong with th plot of this film, but it doesn't stand out and doesn't quite live up to the expectations that are immediately set from the very start of the film when Benicio del Toro and his gang get into a bank dressed as Hasidic Jews and then proceed to shoot the place up. From there the story gets rolling. It's a story that fits in with the wackiness of the film, but never really exceeds the visuals. It tries to be something more by being a very topsy turvy amalgamation of story lines and characters. But it fails to be the thing we remember about Snatch as it is constantly superseded by the great visual quality of the film, combined with a perfect soundtrack and great performances.
I loved this film. I really did. Visually, it is masterful. The story leaves something to be desired but I can't hate on it all that much, because it works. I get the feeling it was trying to be more than it was, but not so much that it hurt the overall impact of the film which was an impact that put a smile on my face. It's a great film that is non-stop fun and if you can't find something to love about this film then you are just a pessimist and don't deserve to watch a film like Snatch anyways.