17th MoFo Hall of Fame

WARNING: "Ending" spoilers below

WARNING: "but it really isn't a biggie" spoilers below

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels has a dirty and grainy look to it, which perfectly complements its setting, characters, and the illicit activities they engage in. It is not an attempt at realism however, since the film is filled with witty banter and dark comedy, and the camera work is highly stylized, with frequent freeze frames or slow motion sequences which prevent the tone from becoming overly serious.

In the spirit of the film, and one subtitled scene in particular, I've decided to try to give a short plot synopsis by incorporating as much Cockney rhyming slang as I can manage into the rest of this paragraph. After taking a Glen, the boys are coals and coke. If they can't find some quick bees and honey, they'll be brown bread before long. After having a few too many tumbles down the sink, by pure chance they happen upon a Jackie to get it sorted. Friar Tuck seems to be on their side for now, but it won't be that lemon squeezy.

What we end up with is a series of crossing paths and coincidences that undermine every plan made throughout the film, with luck paying cruel jokes on almost everyone involved. It sounds ridiculous, but Ritchie makes it work really well. It's quite impressive for his feature film debut, and you can see a number of elements that later became staples of his work. The performances are solid across the board, though some of the side characters, such as Vinnie Jones' Big Chris, easily outshine the main cast. I think I somehow found the film even more entertaining this time around, and I still feel that the conclusion, or lack thereof, is incredibly appropriate. I'm glad this was nominated since I'm not sure when I would've watched it again on my own accord. Cheers, mate!