As I've already noted, I loved Lock, Stock and Two Smoking
Barrels,
also. I agree it's not in the Get Carter or Long Good Friday
realm, but
what is? (That's a serious question--I'm not very familiar
with Brit
crime films; what is good besides the aforementioned, Dance
with
Stranger and, parts of, The Krays?) Lock, Stock is a very
good and
exciting debut--I loved how director/writer Ritchie dropped
things, like
the flaming guy running out of the Samoan pub, only to
explain them
much, much later. The visual style and the plotting are
already there,
if Ritchie develops some depth, he'll be amazing, going from
makng very
fine entertainments to making great films, period.
One thing I found very interesting, was the film's attitude
towards
drugs and booze. Drugs get you into trouble, everyone who is
involved
with drugs (in this case marijuana) on any level pays for it.
Booze, on
the other hand, is good. Beyond the glorious celebration
scene, booze
actually helps Eddie and his mates out, twice. First, they
never would
have gotten the information needed for their "big plan" if
Eddie hadn't
been so drunk that he couldn't get up, thereby overhearing
crucial
information (I'm being purposely vague in order not to spoil
anything,
but when you see it you will know what I'm talking about).
And their
lives are actually saved because a night of boozing kept them
from being
where they would most likely have been killed. I'm not saying
this is
good or bad, I just found it interesting, especially since so
many
"youth films" make the case for drugs being cool.
Mark
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