Snatch
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" director Guy Ritchie is back with "Snatch," using his unique directorial style to incorporate fast cuts, hip music (including the missus' "Lucky Star") and surprising plot twists.
Story
Diamond thief Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro) must deliver a huge rock to his boss Avi (Dennis Farina) in New York via London. Franky's delivery is botched, of course, when he's asked to place a bet on an illegal boxing match in London by Boris the Blade (Rade Serbedzija). To add to the mayhem, enter local jewelers Vinny (Robbie Gee) and Sol (Lennie James) and their plump getaway driver Tyrone (Ade); novice unlicensed boxing promoters Turkish (Jason Statham) and Tommy (Stephen Graham); ruthless boxing promoter and pig farm owner Brick Top (Alan Ford); an unreliable and unintelligible gypsy boxer (Brad Pitt); a squeaking dog (really) and other uniquely Ritchie characters.
Acting
This year is shaping up to be another great year for Del Toro. After his mesmerizing turn in "Traffic" that is certain to land him his first Oscar nomination, he commands attention when he's onscreen in "Snatch." Unfortunately, he's only onscreen for the first third of the film. Nonetheless, there isn't a weak link in the cast. Particular standouts include a much tattooed and ripped Pitt who speaks in hilarious gibberish, the dimwitted Graham who provides comic relief, and old fart Ford, one mean son of a bitch who creates tension whenever he's around.
Direction
Ritchie strives to be an original talent, and although comparisons of "Snatch" to "Pulp Fiction" might be inevitable, he certainly has created his own sense of directorial style. "Snatch" mixes it up with lightning-fast editing (Avi has his passport stamped, his drink polished off and his flight from New York to London completed in a matter of seconds), great music, and plot twists and turns (the boxing matches, the pig farm, the gypsy camp, car chases, the pawn shop … how do they all intersect?). And the scene of the final boxing match with Pitt is, ahem, a knockout.
Bottom Line
This might be a guy's film (or just Guy's film?), but it's worth seeing by all adults … and not just for Pitt.