RocknRolla

This Cockney caper film directed by Guy Ritchie (Madonna's latest ex-husband) recalls his earlier successes in such offbeat movies as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. After being bilked on a real-estate deal by London crime lord Lenny Cole (Tom Wilkinson), small-time hoods One Two (Gerard Butler), Mumbles (Idris Elba), and Handsome Bob (Tom Hardy) retaliate by stealing $7 million in bribe money en route to Lenny from Russian gangster Uri Obamavich (Karel Roden). The hoods have partnered with Uri's scheming accountant (Thandie Newton as a most credible femme fatale), who's angling to get the money for herself. Throw into the mix Cole's drug-addled “rocknrolla” stepson Johnny (Toby Kebbell) and assorted henchmen, and you've got something vaguely resembling a profane, violent, and kinetic It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World set in the British underworld. The plot is not always coherent, but thanks to the story's driving pace and colorful characters, RocknRolla is a fun ride. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer/director Guy Ritchie and costar Mark Strong, a nine-minute “Guy's Town” location featurette, a two-minute deleted scene, and trailers. Also included is a bonus digital copy. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is the behind-the-scenes featurette “Blokes, Birds and Backhanders: Inside RocknRolla. Bottom line: a solid extras package for an entertaining film.] (E. Hulse)