Not Your Average Guy !

Eastend culture fused with good old fashion humour. Working with mainly the most talented actors & actresses in the UK.

Although many of us are acquainted with his wife Madonna, it is by far his work on his debut outing "Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrells" and the very successfull follow up "Snatch" that really stand out to most lads & ladettes.

I can remember watching "Snatch" something like a million times, just blown away by the whole content of the movie. The Actors,the plot, the music just all seemed to work so well together.

Obviously, there's Vinny Jones. A real life footballer, turned actor. As funny as it sounds, Mr.Jones pulls off a brilliant preformance. And this was also the platform that gave rise to a now, well renound actor Jason Statham.

The music was a mix up of old school soul from Maceo parker to Massive Attack. The scenery was all good. Many glimpses of London's Ganglands & Underworlds.

The characters in these movies are typical Eastend "Geezers" This was something I could readily identify with. This how everyone talks around here, where I live anyway. It was as though, we could momentarily have a look at the more darker side of the BBC's long running soap "Eastenders"

Plots and sub-plots really got my attention. And then with the comical side thrown in, I found it truely amazing to see how far some people will actually go, just to get what they want.

"Snatch" was a box office smash. Set in the world of crime, Ritchie sets the scene around some missing diamonds. He even employs the services of Brad Pritt cast in one of the leading roles. A whole bevy of stars (including the late Mike Read) hurled into turmoil and once again a brilliant performance by Jason Statham.

One of the first things I noticed about Ritchie, was his style of editing, especialy in Lock Stock. Right from the intro credits, the action is fast moving, and a slight touch of "bullet time" helped to carry the story along in both films. eg moments when the boys are getting drunk (Lock Stock) or when Uncle Avi (Dennis Farina) flies over to
England, to handle some business(snatch). So I suppose that brings us very much in line with the sound. The Audio made a lot of impact to the movie, and helps to pull you into every scene.

The strong points of these two great movies are the storylines. Always set amongst 3 or 4 different gangs or waring factions, they weave around each other, unsuspectedly or otherwise to gain the rewards of their labour.

Lock Stock, has such a twist to it, that it is well worth the wait by the time you get to end of the film. Ricthie is good at keeping up the suspense and has almost mastered the art of story telling, the way he makes these stories interconnect & unravel, for a very surprise ending. Throughout, this is his strong point the 'element of surprise'.

On the whole Guy Ritcie set a new standard for British cinema. He put Britain firmly back on the map in the world of cinema, right up there with the Tarantino's and Spike Lee's who came before him.

Violence has never been something to brag about, but Guy Ritchie does...and does it with class, and loads of realistic humour.

For me, he changed British cinema and set the road clear for more up and coming directors like Nick Love (The Business & Football Factory) to step forward and bring more of the streets to the big silver screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR1GZVogy24