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RocknRolla

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RocknRolla
File:RocknRolla poster.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed byGuy Ritchie
Written byGuy Ritchie
Produced bySteve Clark-Hall
Susan Downey
Guy Ritchie
Joel Silver
StarringGerard Butler
Tom Wilkinson
Thandie Newton
Idris Elba
Chris Bridges
Jeremy Piven
Gemma Arterton
Edited byJames Herbert
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release dates
5 September 2008 (U.K.)
8 October 2008 (U.S., limited)
31 October 2008 (U.S., wide)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

RocknRolla is a 2008 British crime film directed by Guy Ritchie. The film stars Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, and Tom Wilkinson. It was filmed in London and released on 5 September 2008 in the United Kingdom, hitting #1 in the UK box office in its first week of release.[citation needed] It is scheduled for an 8 October 2008 limited release in the United States, followed by a wide expansion on 31 October.

Plot

Spoiler warning!! When a Russian mobster sets up a real estate scam that generates millions of pounds, various members of London's criminal underworld pursue their share of the fortune. Various shady characters, including Mr One-Two, Stella the accountant, and Johnny Quid, a druggie rock-star, try to claim their slice... [1]

Cast

A scheduling conflict prevented director Guy Ritchie from casting actor Jason Statham, who appeared in three of his films, into RocknRolla.[5]

Production

In May 2007, director Guy Ritchie announced the production of RocknRolla, a film with a similar theme to his previous films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000). RocknRolla, written by Ritchie, will be produced by Joel Silver's Dark Castle Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros..[6] The following June, Ritchie hired the cast for RocknRolla, and filming began on location in London on 19 June 2007.[1]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of the film was released on 1 September 2008. It contains the following songs:-

  1. Dialogue Clip: People Ask The Question - Various Artists
  2. I'm A Man - Black Strobe
  3. Have Love Will Travel - The Sonics
  4. Dialogue Clip: No School Like The Old School - Various Artists
  5. Bankrobber - The Clash
  6. The Trip - Kim Fowley
  7. Dialogue Clip: Slap Him! - Various Artists
  8. Ruskies - Steve Isles
  9. Outlaw - War
  10. Waiting For A Train - Flash And The Pan
  11. Dialogue Clip: Junkies - Various Artists
  12. Rock & Roll Queen - The Subways
  13. The Gun - Lou Reed
  14. The Stomp - The Hives
  15. We Had Love - The Scientists
  16. Dialogue Clip: Sausage & Beans - Various Artists
  17. Mirror In The Bathroom - The Beat
  18. Funnel Of Love - Wanda Jackson
  19. Such A Fool - 22-20s
  20. Dopilsya - EX SEKTOR GAZA
  21. Negra Leono - Miguelito Valdes [7]

Reception

Critical reaction to the film has so far been fairly low, with a steady 57% rating[8] on Rottentomatoes.com with the consensus being Mixed reviews for Guy Ritchie's return to his London-based cockney wideboy gangster movie roots, but most agree, it's a step in the right direction following two major turkeys.. .[9] Chris Tilly of IGN UK gave the film a positive review giving it 4/5 stars "He's hardly re-inventing the wheel with this movie, but RocknRolla is nonetheless a comedy thriller that is every bit as accomplished as his early work, and without doubt a witty, adrenalin-fuelled blast from start to finish."

BBC film critic Mark Kermode's review of the film on his blog: "It's not bad, it's not just terrible...it is absolutely terrible!...he has remade The Long Good Friday (which was brilliant), in the style of Chas and Dave...It raises the question why Guy Ritchie is allowed to make movies at all..."[10] and implies that Guy ritchie's sequel is entirely dependent on the audience who pay to see this movie, reflecting the audiences' views (on paying Ritchie to do another sequel) that "nobody would want that on their conscience." [11]

An endorsement by a very senior executive at Warner Bros could only bring himself to say that the film was "funny in spots...quite English...and probably not very commercial"[12]

Ali Catterall on the Channel 4 film website described it as "A juggernaut of mediocrity...wading through this stuff is akin to peeping through one's fingers at a retired punch drunk boxer climbing into the ring, or a recidivist junkie ripping out their naltrexone implants..." [13], while the Daily Mail's Chris Tookey said it was Ritchie's "...third turkey in a row...an embarrassing piece of self parody..." [14]

In contrast to the mostly negative UK reviews, reception post screening at the Toronto International Film Festival was glowingly positive[citation needed]. The general public, also received the film in a positive manner[citation needed] with the Rottentomatoes user rating coming in at an all time high of 57%[15] its highest since its release this year. Users on websites such as imdb.com have also given the film an average rating, and can only be assumed that there has been a general enjoyment of the film.

Sequels

Guy Ritchie has stated that he hopes to extend RocknRolla into a trilogy if 'RocknRolla' receives enough positive attention. 'Rocknrolla concludes with the announcement that "Archie, Johnny and The Wild Bunch will return in 'The Real RocknRolla'". The third film in the trilogy will be titled 'RocknRoll Suicide'.[16]


References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Borys Kit (2007-06-26). "Five plugged in for Ritchie's 'RocknRolla'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-07-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Sarah Dempster (2007-09-22). "Tom Hardy tastes the hard life". The Times. Retrieved 2007-11-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ O'Sullivan, Charlotte (2008-02-01). "Big in 2008 - Film". Evening Standard. Daily Mail and General Trust. Retrieved 2008-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ Maher, Kevin (2008-01-19). "Sweeney's fresh blood". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 2008-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Peta Hellard (2007-10-18). "Hard luck story for Jason Statham". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2007-11-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Borys Kit (2007-05-14). "Ritchie will rock caper pic". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2007-07-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ RocknRolla Soundtrack at Amazon.co.uk[1]
  8. ^ Rotten Tomatoes (2007-10-18). "RocknRolla Movie Reviews". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2008-10-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ Rotten Tomatoes (2007-10-18). "RocknRolla Movie Reviews". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2008-10-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ [2] bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ [3] bbc.co.uk.
  12. ^ [4] bbc.co.uk.
  13. ^ Film review channel4.com
  14. ^ RocknRolla Review dailymail.co.uk
  15. ^ Rotten Tomatoes (2007-10-18). "RocknRolla Movie Reviews". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2008-10-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ Adler, Shawn (2008-03-24). "BREAKING: Guy Ritchie Plans 'RocknRolla' Trilogy With Thandie Newton". MTV Movies Blog. MTV. Retrieved 2008-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links


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