ViewGuide

Created Jan 09, 2010 01:55AM PST • Edited Sep 22, 2014 09:34PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Very Good 3.5

   Idiotic criminals chasing a HUGE diamond make amusing mayhem in one of Guy Ritchie’s now classic London thug-fests. There’s not a sympathetic character in the whole movie. Well the Gypsies are somewhat sympathetic, especially Brad Pitt’s comically incomprehensible mama’s boy.

   Ritchie – the British Tarantino – revels in London lowlife. There’s plenty of it on display here, plus some juicy New York characters thrown in for good measure.

   The movie achieves a hard won comic brilliance by the beginning of the third reel.

4. Acting

   Great 4.0

   The huge cast of charismatic, crusty and/or crazy actors include a humorously charming Brad Pitt, an admirably restrained Jason Statham, a childishly evil Benicio Del Toro and a lip smacking Dennis Farina.

   Think Pitt gets by on his looks, at least partly? Think again, ‘cause you’d never think this fair haired pretty boy looks Gypsy, though he passes damn effectively for one here. Guess he can act.

5. Male Stars Great 4.0

6. Female Stars Great 4.0

   None, but setting to Great to equalize scoring.

7. Female Costars Great 4.0

8. Male Costars Great 4.0

10. Film

    Very Good 3.5

    A master of visceral yet comedic violence, Ritchie utilizes the presaged fight scene technique that he brought to full fruition in Sherlock Holmes.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Very Good 3.5

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Risqué 2.0

17. Sex Innocent 1.0

18. Violence Fierce 2.5

19. Rudeness Profane 2.6

21. Reality

    Glib 1.9

    Listen closely to the dialog in the opening scene. When Hasidim discuss the Virgin Mary, you know something’s fishy.

22. Circumstantial Surreal 2.1

23. Biological Surreal 2.1

24. Physical Glib 1.4