Guy Ritchie's SNATCH (2001)
by Jenna Joost
Hip, funny, explosive, erratic cinema from Guy Ritchie.
Snatch, Guy Ritchie's follow up to his 1999 film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, has the same style and characters as Lock, Stock, but definitely holds its own. Snatch erupts onto the screen like an exploded music video- but for once, this is a good thing. Ritchie knows how to have fun with film. He turns an ordinary robbery that we have all seen before, and makes it into rhythmic eye candy for the senses.
He also knows how to use music, and use it well. His sound track is an eclectic mix of soul, modern and retro pop, break beats, and even Jewish folk songs are thrown into the mix. The film has unexpected comedy that is witty and laugh out loud funny.
The characters Frankie Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro), Turkish (Jason Statham) Brick Top (Alan Ford), Boris the Blade (Rade Serbedzija), One Punch Mickey (Brad Pitt), and Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) all cross paths between illegal boxing rings and stolen diamonds.
The two stories and over twelve characters cleverly crisscross throughout the entire film. The story line is woven through a non-linear path that falls in and out of past present and future. Ritchie's use of clever editing techniques and innovative camera angles give the film an unusual but original flow.
Snatch is definitely a breath of fresh air. It is funny, clever and filled with exciting visuals. It gets your blood flowing and is great entertainment. It seems films right now are dealing with darker topics (The Pledge, Traffic, The Gift), but with Snatch, it is easy to sit back, relax and enjoy this fun film...and to remind us why we go to the movies.
Jenna Joost is a native New Yorker finishing her BFA from the School of Visual Arts. She is an AVID editor, curator, collector and cinephile.
Got a problem? Email Jenna at filmmonthly@hotmail.com