Take Five
By George Rose
August 11, 2009
Snatch. (2001) – watched/written August 5, 2009
Because my brother and sister are leaving Greece in a few days I figured I'd let them pick the next movie. My brother chose Snatch., a film I've heard plenty of. Since the friends of mine who own it always give me crap about not having seen it, I spite them by refusing to watch it. My brother, always the Greek gentlemen, was more encouraging than pretentious (as fans of the film tend to be when they encounter those who haven't seen it), so I gave in to his request. This, as it would turn out, was mostly a blessing.
Movies like this are hard to review, especially after having only seen it once. The plot is all over the place, and full of twists and turns. If it were possible to stuff this movie into a nutshell you'd be offered this: an 84-carot diamond is stolen by Franky Four Fingers and his merry gang of dressed-up Hasidic Jews, and everyone in England wants a piece of it. Franky trusts the wrong people, namely a partner of his who is trying to have the diamond stolen off of him after he lands in London. There wouldn't be a film if this all went down smoothly, so naturally there are complications. Enter two competing crime bosses, a band of gypsies, a few misinformed thugs, several diamond dealers, and some underground fighting and you have the loose pieces of this plot.
This is one of those movies that is easier to review as a sum of the parts rather than the whole. When the whole is such a fast-paced jumble of scenes, strewn together in barely comprehensible Irish and UK English dialect, you have to break it down into bits. Don't get me wrong, though the editing is fast, it's appropriate for the film and keeps you on your toes. It just makes it a bit tough for first-time viewers trying to take it all in. Most of the plot makes sense but towards the end things got a little sloppy. I lose a bit of interest when movies rely on animals for plot points. Call me cynical, but I don't think a dog needs to eat a diamond to help the story. There just has to be another way!
Negative criticism aside, the acting is unbelievable. From the names you know (Benicio Del Toro, Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, etc.) to all the unfamiliar supporting characters, everyone feels as though they were born to fill these roles. Brad Pitt's Mickey, a gypsy boxer, is the biggest diversion from his regular self among the crew. Though I could only understand a fraction of what he was saying, he kept me hooked every time he swaggered onto the screen, so much so that I was too interested in what his character was doing to care that he took his shirt off.
While they cast deserves their credit, there cannot be such universally stellar acting unless there is an equally talented puppet master directing their reigns. No longer do I look at Guy Ritchie as the former Mr. Madonna, but as a man who is better off without the dead weight that dragged down one of his other films, Swept Away. Without her annoyance he can return to the acclaim that was once bestowed upon him with films like Snatch. I eagerly await his next project, Sherlock Holmes, coming out this Winter, and am excited to review his other acclaimed work, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, before my departure from Greece. Don't make the same mistake I did and pass on the suggestion to see Snatch. Some advice is not worth spiting.
Overall Rating: B+
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