RocknRolla

A formally utterly unique entry into the contemporary London underworld, blackly reveling in the travails of first-rate characters that is second to none. Right up there with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, without question the best and most uncompromising Ritchie, whose opening story exposition with Black Strobe's "I am a Man" I could play over and over again. (06.10.2014)

It is said that you cannot enter the same river twice, but Guy Ritchie tried it for the third time and succeeded once again. Only the audience is somewhat more critical this time because repeating a performance is not enough, as usually, something needs to be added to evoke the same enthusiasm. Snatch also had its flaws, but it was one of the first and didn't have much competition, so for many people, it seemed like a revelation, even though it was clearly low-budget, and yet part of the magic also lay in the fact that it was not a mainstream movie. Ritchie had already directed Snatch as a well-known director and with a much bigger budget, which was evident in the presence of the stars and prominent faces. In RocknRolla, Ritchie unleashes another darkly humorous gangster game filled with betrayals, misunderstandings, and numerous characters and motifs. However, if something fails, it is the not-so-prominent actors in the lead roles, except for the veteran Tom Wilkinson, who is skillfully supported by Mark Strong. The members of the wild gang, who were supposed to stand out and attract the attention and favor of the audience, are somewhat generic and interchangeable. That is surprising because Ritchie could have hired practically anyone. I would also believe in Thandie Newton in many different roles, but definitely not as an accountant. I would rather tend to believe that Amy Winehouse will be abstinent for life or Courtney Love as a nun. Although Karel Roden gets quite a lot of screen time, unfortunately, he acts too restrained for my taste. I missed that energy and craziness from the previous two films, although, for example, the chase between the wild gang and the Russian gangsters on the railroad track undoubtedly had charm. Overall, it's a solid 4 stars, noting that it is an exceptional genre film that, in my eyes, has no competition. Overall impression: 85%. (05.11.2012)

At first glance, still close enough to the original packed and con films, but at second there's only the desire to step in the same river for a third time. It's great that new things are getting entangled in the gangsters with a bunch of angry men, whether it's bigger complications or more surprising twists. Unfortunately, there is such a flash of strange misogyny and aggression all throughout (confirmed many years later in The Gentlemen), which I simply cannot get past. It's a shame, because otherwise Guy Ritchie is still a hero in moments of pure adrenaline, but at other points it's just the opposite. (03.05.2022)

Wanting this film to be another clone of Ritchie’s first two films is a mistake. It’s much closer to Matthew Vaughn's Layer Cake than to the raucously witty catchphrasers. RocknRolla is less lightweight, but it does have an emphasis on characters and layering an interwoven plot that again pulls towards a "big" ending. His escape from both Luc Besson and Madonna was clearly good for Guy, and even if the whole old gang is somehow nostalgically absent, the choleric Wilkinson, the sneaky Roden, and the darkly charismatic Strong are happy to take you in. Be invited, this "reunion" is worth it. 4 ½. (20.01.2009)

Guy Ritchie may have talent, but RocknRolla is just an average gangster flick. There's a nice cast, fine styling and an interesting plot progression, but what's missing here is thick action, blood and memorable lines, and in that respect the film fails. But it’s watchable without getting bored. 60% (01.12.2015)