I'm definitely on a lucky spree. Even those films gave me an absolute positive surprise which mostly got a bad critics. In this regard Guy Ritchie's "Revolver" (2005) is the biggest amazement during the last weeks!
First of all one very important remark: I don't like his 'famous' movies ("Lock, Stock,..." and "Snatch") very much. They were entertaining and funny but nothing more. Just like some practice for a director who is preparing for the big shot. Interesting to recognize that usually the directors who are working on art projects after a while sliding into the mainstream. Michael Haneke (did you know that he is working on his own "Funny Games" remake in Hollywood?) or Christopher Nolan are coming into my mind (ok, after the "Insomnia" Nolan found himself again). In contrast, Ritchie's case is completely the opposite of this practice: after the easy pieces he could try his real talent in a very complex and deep movie. Of course his efforts went wrong, the film busted up at the box office as it used to be in these cases. After the funny movies of his the audience was trained for Brad Pitt and jokes at every corner. Instead of this they got something completely different. Only the visuals remained: the cinematography and the way of directing is like in the former movies (Ritchie's strenght is the compressed nonlinear told montage-storytelling).
"The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent" – quotes Ritchie the "Fundaments of Chess" from 1883 and gives the essence of the story and his attitude against his audiences too. The story is rather complicated, it's easier to approach not from the direction of the fabula. It's better to say that the protagonist (Jason Statham - he plays in a good movie which is an exception in his career) is a gambler who - it seems - ownes the ultimate winning formula, some kind of combination of a chess and cons (yes, if you like "Pi", you will love this one too). He is surrounded with gangsters, hitmans, Japanese and any kinds of mobsters, mysterious criminal powers, dumb bodyguards and so on. The characters are perfect, my favourite is the soft-hearted sturrerer hitman called Sorter (!) but maybe you'll like better Avi (Andre3000 (the thin guy) from the Outkast) or Macha (Ray Liotta in his leopard-underwear). No, your favourite will be Lord John, the Japanese drug-dandy!
Anyway, I think you are convinced already that you have to watch this film. The only doubt is how you will answer the regular question: "What was exactly the movie about?" I have a spoiler-like hint: What do you think about the idea, that the real protagonist is not Statham, but Liotta?
[A small selfish note at the end: The old lady's cup is the same as Karolien has. Check the screenshot:]
First of all one very important remark: I don't like his 'famous' movies ("Lock, Stock,..." and "Snatch") very much. They were entertaining and funny but nothing more. Just like some practice for a director who is preparing for the big shot. Interesting to recognize that usually the directors who are working on art projects after a while sliding into the mainstream. Michael Haneke (did you know that he is working on his own "Funny Games" remake in Hollywood?) or Christopher Nolan are coming into my mind (ok, after the "Insomnia" Nolan found himself again). In contrast, Ritchie's case is completely the opposite of this practice: after the easy pieces he could try his real talent in a very complex and deep movie. Of course his efforts went wrong, the film busted up at the box office as it used to be in these cases. After the funny movies of his the audience was trained for Brad Pitt and jokes at every corner. Instead of this they got something completely different. Only the visuals remained: the cinematography and the way of directing is like in the former movies (Ritchie's strenght is the compressed nonlinear told montage-storytelling).
"The only way to get smarter is by playing a smarter opponent" – quotes Ritchie the "Fundaments of Chess" from 1883 and gives the essence of the story and his attitude against his audiences too. The story is rather complicated, it's easier to approach not from the direction of the fabula. It's better to say that the protagonist (Jason Statham - he plays in a good movie which is an exception in his career) is a gambler who - it seems - ownes the ultimate winning formula, some kind of combination of a chess and cons (yes, if you like "Pi", you will love this one too). He is surrounded with gangsters, hitmans, Japanese and any kinds of mobsters, mysterious criminal powers, dumb bodyguards and so on. The characters are perfect, my favourite is the soft-hearted sturrerer hitman called Sorter (!) but maybe you'll like better Avi (Andre3000 (the thin guy) from the Outkast) or Macha (Ray Liotta in his leopard-underwear). No, your favourite will be Lord John, the Japanese drug-dandy!
Anyway, I think you are convinced already that you have to watch this film. The only doubt is how you will answer the regular question: "What was exactly the movie about?" I have a spoiler-like hint: What do you think about the idea, that the real protagonist is not Statham, but Liotta?
[A small selfish note at the end: The old lady's cup is the same as Karolien has. Check the screenshot:]
9/10
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