# Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

### reviewed by
Luke Buckmaster

REVIEW: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels By Luke Buckmaster (bucky@alphalink.com.au)

    >From 0 stars (bomb), to 5 stars (a masterpiece):
    4 stars

Cast: Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Nick Moran, Jason Statham, Steven Mackintosh, Vinne Jones, Sting, Lenny McLean, Steve Sweeney, Frank Harper Director: Guy Ritchie Screenplay: Guy Ritchie Australian theatrical release date: November 12, 1998

With Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, British writer/director Guy Ritchie has given an original twist to what is probably this decades most popular style of filmmaking. You know the sort - blazing guns held by people who mutter ordinary, day to day dialogue, and are corrupt and shady characters brought to life more by their actions rather than their words. If Pulp Fiction wasn't smart enough for you, or Elmore Leonard films (Jackie Brown, Out of Sight) appear too relaxed, this film will appeal. It tightly interlaces all plot elements smartly and efficiently, whilst gushing out bittersweet black humor.

Almost immediately, Ritchie introduces a spectrum of villainous and ultra stylish characters. First is Eddy (Nick Moran), a scheming charmer with a talent for cards. He and three of his mates chip in 25,000 pounds each for Eddy to compete in a card game ran by the notorious porn king, Hatchet Harry (P.H. Moriarty), in the hope that their investment will pay dividends. It doesn't. Eddy and his gang - which consists of Bacon (Jason Statham), Tom (Jason Flemyng) and Soap (Dexter Fletcher) - end up not only losing their money but are left owing half a million pounds.

Harry, with the aid of Barry the Baptist (Lenny McLean) and leather jacketed debt collector Big Chris (Vinnie Jones), give them one week to cough up the dough before they start losing their fingers. Alternatively, Eddy's Dad JD (Sting) can cancel the debt by handing over his bar - lock, stock and barrel - to Harry, an old adversary.

Without giving much away, let me just say that Eddy's plan to cover his debt involves a factory full of weed, a dangerous drugs dealer with a proud afro cut and two valuable antique shotguns.

What eventuates from all this fun and confusion is very, very clever. Ritchie's screenplay introduces every character and every scenario for a specific reason, which only becomes evident at the very end. At no point does he ever slow the pace; everything moves wickedly fast.

Ritchie's previous work as a director of music promos for bands and commercials comes through vibrantly in this, his first feature film. In fact, many scenes look so stylish and are so carefully constructed that it's easy to imagine that Ritchie has not drastically changed his filming techniques. Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels often feels like a lengthy music video; the music in this case being the chemistry between its wide breadth of characters.

Although of the same genre, when compared to Tarantino's Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs, the similarities to LS & TSB are somewhat limited. For starters, Ritchie replaces the well-known Tarantino style of dialogue with something much snappier, but less relaxed. The narrative rockets from point a to point b, whereas many American filmmakers seem to love confusing audiences until every piece of their story is eventually put together. Finally, the tension never breaks. Ritchie doesn't stop to carefully examine his characters, or to introduce any hint of a romance, or even to take a breath and let the film's surroundings soak in. That's the best and worst thing about LS & TSB: whilst it is great to have a constantly high level of entertainment, I would have liked some more character development. I would have liked to understand and sympathize with these immoral protagonists, if only to understand them enough so I could laugh at them more.

Guy Ritchie deserves to be highly credited for a startling debut feature film. It's nice to know that some directors are bent on giving original twists to genres, even if Ritchie's genre is already a new twist off the Hollywood product line. An original film, from one of this decade's most original - and popular - genres. It's tight, tense, fun…and that's that - lock, stock, barrel.

Review © copyright Luke Buckmaster

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