Rating: Sizzling Popcorn
Whether you’re having a good or bad day, it’s time to stop what you’re doing and relax because it’s time to ROCKNROLLA! Director/writer Guy Ritchie’s latest action-comedy kicked off the Toronto International Film Festival last night with a big bang! Light flashes lit up the sky in front of the Elgin Theatre as fans and photographers snapped pictures of the stars as they walked in on the red carpet.
Producer Joel Silver (The Matrix, Lethal Weapon) introduced the cast and director to a sold-out audience. Gerard Butler (300, P.S. I Love You), Thandie Newton (Mission: Impossible II, Run, Fatboy, Run), Idris Elba (American Gangster, 28 Weeks Later), Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges (The Fast and the Furious, Crash), Toby Kebbell (Control, Alexander), Jeremy Piven (Old School, Smokin’ Aces) and director Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Two Smoking Barrels) were in attendance for the TIFF Gala premiere while Oscar-nominated Tom Wilkinson (Michael Clayton) was not able to make it.
Warner Bros.’ RocknRolla takes us into London’s underbelly, where the city is on the rise. Property values have skyrocketed ever since the new wave of immigrants arrived. The Russians are trying to make a land deal with Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkson), London’s old school top dog, but there are so many ways the deal can go wrong with every thug in the area looking to get a cut on the cash. The true winner of this deal is Lenny’s junkie rock star stepson, Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell), who is presumed dead but is really full of life.
The intro really sets the tone and pace for the rest of this movie with its rocking tunes and rapid fire roll-out shots. RocknRolla doesn’t miss a beat as its jokes are bang on time! A majority of laughs come from homophobic One Two (Gerard Butler) and Bobby’s relationship.
For those looking for a sex scene with Gerard Butler and Thandie Newton, I’m sorry to say, but you’re out of luck! The day the sex scene was to shoot, Newton refused to perform because Butler was sick. Ritchie ended up doing some editing to create the scene. Butler, on the other hand, had a surprise. To help him get well, Ritchie’s wife Madonna fixed him up with some vitamin shots in the rear, but to his surprise, they didn’t make him feel any better.
The only downside to RocknRolla is its excessive use of narration. Film is suppose to be a story told through images and action, not through words. The narration in the introduction was needed to setup the story, but after that, the film should have been self-explanatory or at least left to our imagination.
If you’re looking to have a fun entertaining night and forget about all your worries, RocknRolla is the film to see! This action-packed comedy about sex, thugs and rock n’ roll will have you laughing and will keep you on the edge of your seat with its twists and turns. RocknRolla opens in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto on October 8th and will be rockin’ in theaters nationwide on October 31st! Sit down, relax…because it’s time to RocknRolla!
Release Date: October 8, 2008
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