A film about boxing, diamonds, gangsters pretending to be Jews, a fat getaway driver, a rather vicious dog and man eating pigs. Guy Richie has followed the success of Lock, Stock with an equally stunning and ambitious return just as Tarantino did with Pulp Fiction. The characters are so colourful they jump right off the screen, the dialogue so snappy you want to learn it by heart and the acting simply wonderful. Vinnie Jones reveals he can act and Brad Pitt shows that he is far more than a pretty face and could well win a best supporting actor oscar for his role as Irish Mickey. See this movie!!!!
880 Reviews
A Comedy Masterpiece
SpudMons3 September 2000
"Snatch" is fantastic; and not least because it demonstrates emphatically that the British movie industry is capable of rivaling even the best of what Hollywood can offer.
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" was one of the funniest movies released in recent years, and "Snatch" takes everything that "Lock, Stock..." did so well and does it even better.
Back are the cleverly intertwined plotlines, the hilarious one-liners, and the simultaneously intimidating and comedic London villains. So is the skillful editing, and often original cinematographic style. This time however, it all looks somewhat slicker and better funded, and alongside the British regulars are the odd American celebrity (Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro).
Everyone in the film puts in an excellent performance, but Pitt stands out as a charismatic and near-incomprehensible Gypsy boxer.
Like Ritchie's earlier film, this one takes a little while to find its feet, but once it does the pace doesn't slacken until the finale. One scene featuring three guys and a squeaking dog in a stolen car stands out particularly, and left the audience at my local cinema almost weeping as punchline after punchline was uttered.
When it comes to comedies, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you're after a good laugh, you won't find much to better "Snatch".
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" was one of the funniest movies released in recent years, and "Snatch" takes everything that "Lock, Stock..." did so well and does it even better.
Back are the cleverly intertwined plotlines, the hilarious one-liners, and the simultaneously intimidating and comedic London villains. So is the skillful editing, and often original cinematographic style. This time however, it all looks somewhat slicker and better funded, and alongside the British regulars are the odd American celebrity (Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro).
Everyone in the film puts in an excellent performance, but Pitt stands out as a charismatic and near-incomprehensible Gypsy boxer.
Like Ritchie's earlier film, this one takes a little while to find its feet, but once it does the pace doesn't slacken until the finale. One scene featuring three guys and a squeaking dog in a stolen car stands out particularly, and left the audience at my local cinema almost weeping as punchline after punchline was uttered.
When it comes to comedies, I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you're after a good laugh, you won't find much to better "Snatch".
Do You Know What Nemesis Means?
marty_66626 August 2004
I was never really too keen on "Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels". All my friends constantly quoted it, raved and ranted, and then when "Snatch" came out, everyone made an even bigger deal of that. I watched Lock Stock, and though I did like it, it didn't really tickle my fancy. But Snatch, that's a completely different story all together.
When I saw Snatch at the cinemas, I was shocked to see a couple leave only fifteen minutes into the film. As they left, you could hear their intellectually deficient comments; "this movie is so boring". I couldn't believe it! I'd recommend this movie to ANYONE, The Pope even!
There are hundreds of thousands of reasons for anyone to see this movie; each word of the script being a reason.
Snatch is possibly one of THE best written movies I've seen. It's smart, witty, funny and has just the right touches of dark humour. With characters like Turkish, Mickey, Tommy, Brick Top, Bullet Tooth Tony and Cousin Avi; their witty repartee will have your personal quotes list full for months after watching it. The camera work and editing complement each other to keep the film's pace on its toes, much like the boxers at the center of the character's stories.
Jason Statham has some of THE best lines in the movie, constantly slamming anything even slightly intelligent his partner Tommy has to say. Brad Pitt turns out an excellent performance as the Irish-Gypsy-Pykie Mickey; his accent is hilarious.
Even though the story line is only a simple one (following a massive Diamond through England's criminal underworld), it is the connections each character has to the diamond and each other that really makes this film stand out from all the usual jewel-heist films.
Another 10 / 10 from me on this one, it's just a pity the follow up to Snatch was a "collaborative effort" from Mr. Richie and his um.......wife.
When I saw Snatch at the cinemas, I was shocked to see a couple leave only fifteen minutes into the film. As they left, you could hear their intellectually deficient comments; "this movie is so boring". I couldn't believe it! I'd recommend this movie to ANYONE, The Pope even!
There are hundreds of thousands of reasons for anyone to see this movie; each word of the script being a reason.
Snatch is possibly one of THE best written movies I've seen. It's smart, witty, funny and has just the right touches of dark humour. With characters like Turkish, Mickey, Tommy, Brick Top, Bullet Tooth Tony and Cousin Avi; their witty repartee will have your personal quotes list full for months after watching it. The camera work and editing complement each other to keep the film's pace on its toes, much like the boxers at the center of the character's stories.
Jason Statham has some of THE best lines in the movie, constantly slamming anything even slightly intelligent his partner Tommy has to say. Brad Pitt turns out an excellent performance as the Irish-Gypsy-Pykie Mickey; his accent is hilarious.
Even though the story line is only a simple one (following a massive Diamond through England's criminal underworld), it is the connections each character has to the diamond and each other that really makes this film stand out from all the usual jewel-heist films.
Another 10 / 10 from me on this one, it's just a pity the follow up to Snatch was a "collaborative effort" from Mr. Richie and his um.......wife.
Guy Richie and Vinnie Jones have done it again!
willeniams28 August 2000
Guy Richie's follow up to Lock Stock and Two Smoking barrels is every bit as astonishing as its predecessor. The humour is better and I have never seen people in a cinema laugh as loud and as frequently as they did here. Vinnie Jones plays a similar role as Big Chris, here as Bullet Tooth Tony. His appearance is limited but boy does he make an impact. Even when he is not on screen there is much to savour from Dennis Farina as Avi and a trio of pawnbrokers who are sent to rob a bookies. Brad Pitt sheds his movie start personna and preforms impressively as an Irish gypsie. Unlike Lock Stock.. the humour will appeal to all nationalities. However they mind some slang expressions such as Pikey and blag hard to understand. Good preformances, fantastic characters, razor sharp diologue, expert direction and camera work and brilliant humour, Snatch will make you laugh more than any other movie this year. See it now.
The way movies -should- be made.
ratpac0314 March 2004
Read this review carefully, please.
First off, Snatch is an amazing movie in every sense of the word. There are very few movies made where the director obviously did not let one FRAME onto the screen without a reason, and Snatch is one of them. Nothing happens onscreen without it having an effect on the plot.
By now you know the plot, or plots. We follow a diamond-heist and the various characters trying to get theirs, at the same time following participants in an illegal boxing ring. The incredible part of the movie is how every scene ties in with the rest somehow, every character connects with the rest at least once.
There are complaints that the movie is confusing, or muddled. There are a lot of things that they don't tell you (such as what the dog has to do with anything, but he's a VERY important character), and that's a good thing. Too many movies force feed the audience its plot points (Think The Ring vs. Ringu, did we need the "How long could you survive down there all alone?" line?). Rather, we just watch occurrences, and have to piece together what ties everything together, the plot weaves together beautifully.
The cinematography and performances are fantastic as well. Even the soundtrack is perfect. The camera style during the fight scenes (slowdown/stop/go) makes it difficult to stop watching, the sound effects fit in quietly in the background without being overwhelming. And it will be IMPOSSIBLE to watch this movie without repeating many of the lines around your friends. I found myself saying "Zee Germans" and things like "It's not like he's a set of car keys, now is it?" quite a bit. Naturally, Brad Pitt's pikey is one of the most outlandish I've ever seen.
Summary: watch the movie, and don't expect to be TOLD everything, expect to have to pay attention.
First off, Snatch is an amazing movie in every sense of the word. There are very few movies made where the director obviously did not let one FRAME onto the screen without a reason, and Snatch is one of them. Nothing happens onscreen without it having an effect on the plot.
By now you know the plot, or plots. We follow a diamond-heist and the various characters trying to get theirs, at the same time following participants in an illegal boxing ring. The incredible part of the movie is how every scene ties in with the rest somehow, every character connects with the rest at least once.
There are complaints that the movie is confusing, or muddled. There are a lot of things that they don't tell you (such as what the dog has to do with anything, but he's a VERY important character), and that's a good thing. Too many movies force feed the audience its plot points (Think The Ring vs. Ringu, did we need the "How long could you survive down there all alone?" line?). Rather, we just watch occurrences, and have to piece together what ties everything together, the plot weaves together beautifully.
The cinematography and performances are fantastic as well. Even the soundtrack is perfect. The camera style during the fight scenes (slowdown/stop/go) makes it difficult to stop watching, the sound effects fit in quietly in the background without being overwhelming. And it will be IMPOSSIBLE to watch this movie without repeating many of the lines around your friends. I found myself saying "Zee Germans" and things like "It's not like he's a set of car keys, now is it?" quite a bit. Naturally, Brad Pitt's pikey is one of the most outlandish I've ever seen.
Summary: watch the movie, and don't expect to be TOLD everything, expect to have to pay attention.
There are few films that can make me laugh like this one can
FilmOtaku24 August 2004
`Snatch', written and directed by Guy Ritchie is by far one of my favorite films of all time it is easily in my personal Top Thirty. In the film, about (what else?) several schemes that happen to go very wrong yet manage to intertwine and (for better or worse) resolve themselves in the end, Ritchie assembles one of the funniest cast of characters in recent memory. Let's see if we can keep this straight:
Turkish (Jason Statham) and his partner Tommy (Stephen Graham) are amateur boxing promoters who, after their premier fighter is wounded, have to find a replacement to fight, or one of the meanest guys in London, Brick Top (Alan Ford), who just happens to run the boxing matches and stands to make a lot of money off of the fight is going to impart his unique brand of justice on them. Enter Mickey (Brad Pitt) the gypsy who knocked their fighter out, who is an unintelligible drunk with quite a right hook. Meanwhile, there is a diamond `the size of a fist' that has been stolen by Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro). On his way back from London to America where he is planning on fencing the diamond, trouble ensues, and his fence, Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina) is forced to come to London to find both Franky and the diamond with the help of characters like Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) and Doug `The Head' Denovitz (Mike Reid). Of course, this can't happen easily, as there are a trio of inept thieves on the trail of the diamond as well as my personal favorite character in the film, Boris `The Blade' Yurinov (Rade Serbedzija) or as he's better known, `Boris the Bullet Dodger'.
Did you get all that? The performances by all of the above actors, and several more that I didn't even mention are all really good, particularly Brad Pitt's. Every single actor in `Snatch' looks like they are having one hell of a good time working in the film. This story, while complex and with many ramifications from the core plot is absolutely brilliant and a lot of fun. There are many one-liners that I still personally use four years after first seeing the film, and the intricate weaving of the characters to tell a very simple heist story is just SO good. `Snatch' would be a great film due to its story alone, but Guy Ritchie's direction is so dead on, the film transcends brilliant and becomes FAN-insert your choice of expletive here-TASTIC. The slick cinematography, lightning-fast pacing and fun camera angles are right on target with the story. Add on a great soundtrack that spans Oasis, techno and a traditional-sounding Hasidic song and Ritchie has presented the viewer with an instant classic.
While this was not the first time I had seen the film `Snatch', it was the first time I'd watched the film knowing that I would have to analyze it slightly in order to funnel my thoughts from the film just being `Phenomenal!' to `Phenomenal because ..' While I can certainly be classified as an unabashed Madonna fan, and have been for the last two decades, I REALLY hope that Ritchie decides to drop his wife from his film work and not continue on the `Swept Away' path, rather, to get back to the work that has earned him well-deserved high praise. Sorry Madge.
--Shelly
Turkish (Jason Statham) and his partner Tommy (Stephen Graham) are amateur boxing promoters who, after their premier fighter is wounded, have to find a replacement to fight, or one of the meanest guys in London, Brick Top (Alan Ford), who just happens to run the boxing matches and stands to make a lot of money off of the fight is going to impart his unique brand of justice on them. Enter Mickey (Brad Pitt) the gypsy who knocked their fighter out, who is an unintelligible drunk with quite a right hook. Meanwhile, there is a diamond `the size of a fist' that has been stolen by Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro). On his way back from London to America where he is planning on fencing the diamond, trouble ensues, and his fence, Cousin Avi (Dennis Farina) is forced to come to London to find both Franky and the diamond with the help of characters like Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) and Doug `The Head' Denovitz (Mike Reid). Of course, this can't happen easily, as there are a trio of inept thieves on the trail of the diamond as well as my personal favorite character in the film, Boris `The Blade' Yurinov (Rade Serbedzija) or as he's better known, `Boris the Bullet Dodger'.
Did you get all that? The performances by all of the above actors, and several more that I didn't even mention are all really good, particularly Brad Pitt's. Every single actor in `Snatch' looks like they are having one hell of a good time working in the film. This story, while complex and with many ramifications from the core plot is absolutely brilliant and a lot of fun. There are many one-liners that I still personally use four years after first seeing the film, and the intricate weaving of the characters to tell a very simple heist story is just SO good. `Snatch' would be a great film due to its story alone, but Guy Ritchie's direction is so dead on, the film transcends brilliant and becomes FAN-insert your choice of expletive here-TASTIC. The slick cinematography, lightning-fast pacing and fun camera angles are right on target with the story. Add on a great soundtrack that spans Oasis, techno and a traditional-sounding Hasidic song and Ritchie has presented the viewer with an instant classic.
While this was not the first time I had seen the film `Snatch', it was the first time I'd watched the film knowing that I would have to analyze it slightly in order to funnel my thoughts from the film just being `Phenomenal!' to `Phenomenal because ..' While I can certainly be classified as an unabashed Madonna fan, and have been for the last two decades, I REALLY hope that Ritchie decides to drop his wife from his film work and not continue on the `Swept Away' path, rather, to get back to the work that has earned him well-deserved high praise. Sorry Madge.
--Shelly
Perfect
LivingDog17 February 2003
This movie is perfect in all its categories: credits, sound track, production, casting, writing, photography, editing, acting, and direction. 10/10.
I was amazed with the freedom of the use of the camera. This movie will change the way movies are made. Slow-mo, stills, black and white, and color were all used to brilliant effect.
I must pick out specific actors who were just over the top - meaning 10+!
Jason Statham as "Turkish" is simply superb - a star of very high caliber. (You should see him in anything he made, and read my comment about John Carpenter's movie: "Ghosts of Mars.")
Alan Ford as "Brick Top" is terrifying - his forced speaking style made me think that he was chewing on the flesh of his previous victim.
Vinnie Jones as "Bullet Tooth Tony" is total tough head to foot tough - a walking brick wall - a marine for all seasons - none tougher.
Brad Pitt as "Mickey O'Neil" is utterly 110% convincing. I never liked Mr. Pitt's work before this - but this one totally sold me - he is as solid an actor as ever came out of Hollywood... and better!
Finally, Guy Ritchie should be recognized as a Michelangelo of film.
-LD
I was amazed with the freedom of the use of the camera. This movie will change the way movies are made. Slow-mo, stills, black and white, and color were all used to brilliant effect.
I must pick out specific actors who were just over the top - meaning 10+!
Jason Statham as "Turkish" is simply superb - a star of very high caliber. (You should see him in anything he made, and read my comment about John Carpenter's movie: "Ghosts of Mars.")
Alan Ford as "Brick Top" is terrifying - his forced speaking style made me think that he was chewing on the flesh of his previous victim.
Vinnie Jones as "Bullet Tooth Tony" is total tough head to foot tough - a walking brick wall - a marine for all seasons - none tougher.
Brad Pitt as "Mickey O'Neil" is utterly 110% convincing. I never liked Mr. Pitt's work before this - but this one totally sold me - he is as solid an actor as ever came out of Hollywood... and better!
Finally, Guy Ritchie should be recognized as a Michelangelo of film.
-LD
Lock, Stock, and Many Smoking Barrels
Shiva-1114 January 2001
The release of Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction" in 1994 prompted a schism in the staid gangster movie genre: the standard hallmarks - serious characters, gunfights, intrigue and damsels in distress - were enhanced with snappy dialogue, and gallows humour. The biggest change however was the introduction of the mobius strip-style plot line, where the concept of time is no longer linear, instead constantly folding in upon itself, flitting between past, present and future that forces the viewer to pay close attention lest they miss some subtle detail. Inevitably, numerous copycat films emerged that tried to capitalize on Tarantino's success, but it wasn't until 1998 when Guy Ritchie, an unknown British director, took on the challenge that a successor was found. Now Ritchie is determined to prove that his first time out wasn't a fluke.
Turkish is a young man with an entrepreneurial bent, who, when he's not running his gambling operation, manages bareknuckle boxers. Through a business deal gone wrong, he becomes acquainted with one Mickey O'Neil, a mumbling manic motor-mouthed piker who also happens to be a one-punch marvel. Turkish persuades Mickey to join his stable of fighters, but soon discovers that Mickey has his own agenda, and gets Turkish in trouble with the gangsters who run the underground boxing circuit. Other characters that become involved in the drama include a four-fingered degenerate gambler/jewel thief, a vicious boxing promoter, a gang of inept robbers, a polite hitman, a crazed Russian gun runner, a group of Irish gypsies, a crooked New York jeweler and a pugnacious pet. The common thread binding them all is a perfect diamond the size of a peach pit. If you aren't confused yet, you soon will be.
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", Mr. Madonna's (Ritchie) first film, was shot on a small budget, with a no-name cast (except for football bad boy Vinnie Jones) and quickly became a rousing success at home and found receptive audiences abroad. While not a technically a sequel "Snatch" is stylistically very similar to "Lock, Stock ": Ritchie utilizes his trademark bombastic staccato sequences, and repeatedly bounces off on radical tangents to throw the viewer off balance. He did however opt for a decidedly darker satirical tone in this film, that may make some people uncomfortable (think "Very Bad Things"). What struck me as particularly daring was his decision to create a story with such a voluminous cast.
Ritchie faced a daunting task with this film: how, with roughly twenty principal characters, does one adequately flesh out each character, and not hopelessly confuse the audience? The feat was made doubly difficult, as several cast members are big name stars. Somehow Ritchie manages - each actor is full bodied, receives ample screen time, and no one character is the centerpiece. With so many talented actors, it is difficult to pick out one performance that stands out: Rade Serbedzija is hilarious as the mad Russian who blithely burns through each of his nine lives, as is Vinnie Jones' manic gentleman hitman. On the other end of the spectrum, is Alan Ford as Brick Top, the promoter with a penchant for pigs, who epitomizes cold-blooded viciousness. If forced to pick my favorite however, I would have to go with Brad Pitt
Pitt resurrects his trailer trash look from "Kalifornia" and adopts a nearly indecipherable brogue that sounds like my best friend's Uncle Wally on a bad day. As Mickey O'Neil, the hard drinking wily grifter and part-time pugilist, Pitt displays a wide range of emotions, demonstrating again that he is not only a star, but also a gifted character actor. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the dog that subtly stole every scene he appeared in.
While "Snatch" initially struggles to find its stride, and is very similar to Ritchie's earlier film, it is fresh and funny enough to make you forget any minor shortfalls and stand on its own.
Turkish is a young man with an entrepreneurial bent, who, when he's not running his gambling operation, manages bareknuckle boxers. Through a business deal gone wrong, he becomes acquainted with one Mickey O'Neil, a mumbling manic motor-mouthed piker who also happens to be a one-punch marvel. Turkish persuades Mickey to join his stable of fighters, but soon discovers that Mickey has his own agenda, and gets Turkish in trouble with the gangsters who run the underground boxing circuit. Other characters that become involved in the drama include a four-fingered degenerate gambler/jewel thief, a vicious boxing promoter, a gang of inept robbers, a polite hitman, a crazed Russian gun runner, a group of Irish gypsies, a crooked New York jeweler and a pugnacious pet. The common thread binding them all is a perfect diamond the size of a peach pit. If you aren't confused yet, you soon will be.
"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", Mr. Madonna's (Ritchie) first film, was shot on a small budget, with a no-name cast (except for football bad boy Vinnie Jones) and quickly became a rousing success at home and found receptive audiences abroad. While not a technically a sequel "Snatch" is stylistically very similar to "Lock, Stock ": Ritchie utilizes his trademark bombastic staccato sequences, and repeatedly bounces off on radical tangents to throw the viewer off balance. He did however opt for a decidedly darker satirical tone in this film, that may make some people uncomfortable (think "Very Bad Things"). What struck me as particularly daring was his decision to create a story with such a voluminous cast.
Ritchie faced a daunting task with this film: how, with roughly twenty principal characters, does one adequately flesh out each character, and not hopelessly confuse the audience? The feat was made doubly difficult, as several cast members are big name stars. Somehow Ritchie manages - each actor is full bodied, receives ample screen time, and no one character is the centerpiece. With so many talented actors, it is difficult to pick out one performance that stands out: Rade Serbedzija is hilarious as the mad Russian who blithely burns through each of his nine lives, as is Vinnie Jones' manic gentleman hitman. On the other end of the spectrum, is Alan Ford as Brick Top, the promoter with a penchant for pigs, who epitomizes cold-blooded viciousness. If forced to pick my favorite however, I would have to go with Brad Pitt
Pitt resurrects his trailer trash look from "Kalifornia" and adopts a nearly indecipherable brogue that sounds like my best friend's Uncle Wally on a bad day. As Mickey O'Neil, the hard drinking wily grifter and part-time pugilist, Pitt displays a wide range of emotions, demonstrating again that he is not only a star, but also a gifted character actor. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention the dog that subtly stole every scene he appeared in.
While "Snatch" initially struggles to find its stride, and is very similar to Ritchie's earlier film, it is fresh and funny enough to make you forget any minor shortfalls and stand on its own.
I liked it, is that so wrong?
sllovejoy6 February 2002
I am a 33 year old woman in a flowered dress who doesn't drink, rarely swears, sleeps with a teddy bear, and has never raised a hand to anyone in my life. But I liked this movie a lot, and according to someone who wrote a review earlier, that makes me personally responsible for the violence in America. I'm sorry - I never intended to hurt anyone.
As for the movie - I usually get confused in fast-paced movies with so many characters, but when I watched Snatch I was able to keep all the characters straight pretty easily because each one had something unique and quirky about him. I liked that, and I liked the accents, and I liked the silly plot-twist humor, and I liked the dogs. The evil men were EVIL ("so evil you would call it the froo-its of the dev-eel" to quote Mike Meyers). The bumbling men were endearing. The music was great.
It was very violent (more so than Pulp Fiction, I think). Yet somehow it did not offend me and looking back at it I still laugh out loud.
Oh, and I never saw "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels", for whatever that's worth.
As for the movie - I usually get confused in fast-paced movies with so many characters, but when I watched Snatch I was able to keep all the characters straight pretty easily because each one had something unique and quirky about him. I liked that, and I liked the accents, and I liked the silly plot-twist humor, and I liked the dogs. The evil men were EVIL ("so evil you would call it the froo-its of the dev-eel" to quote Mike Meyers). The bumbling men were endearing. The music was great.
It was very violent (more so than Pulp Fiction, I think). Yet somehow it did not offend me and looking back at it I still laugh out loud.
Oh, and I never saw "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels", for whatever that's worth.
Just as much fun as Lock, Stock. Snatch is a great and entertaining movie.
Keyser Soze-1221 January 2001
Imagine what would happen if you took 8 or 10 criminals of various professions, threw them into a maze, gave one of the criminals a diamond the size of a fist, and yelled out load, "SOMEONE IN THIS MAZE HAS A HUGE DIAMOND! WHOEVER FINDS IT AND IS THE LAST MAN STANDING, WINS!" What do you think would happen? Snatch is what happens.
Snatch is a confusing, twisting, crazy movie. Let me repeat that. This movie is crazy! Imagine the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disney Word on acid, and this is what you get my friend. Believe it or not, this mass confusion and complete insanity is very, very entertaining.
The movie has it's problems. First off, for those of you who have seen Snatch's predecessor, (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), you know that Guy Richie (the writer and director of both films) has a very music-video style as far as the camera angles, movements, and cinematography goes. The strange camera techniques get so mad with lunacy that I noticed people walking out of the theater. I was also turned off by this madness. However, most of this insane crap gets over within the first hour, so it doesn't last.
If any of you people out there loved Lock Stock as much as I did, do yourself a favor and see this movie as fast as you can. Snatch is a bit more serious than Lock Stock, but when it's funny, you'll laugh till your lungs burst. It was nice to see Vinnie Jones, who was Big Chris in the last movie, return as the same basic character (only now named Bullet Tooth Tony) and doing the same "slamming victim's head in a car door" act again. The performances were just as great as Lock Stock, with Jason Statham and Pitt leading the pack. I was disappointed to see that Bendicio Del Toro didn't have a bigger role. I was expecting him to be a lead character, but he's not.
So, in conclusion, if you have never seen Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, I would see that first before seeing Snatch so you can get adjusted to Guy Richie's style. I still think that it is stupid to compare either two movies to Pulp Fiction (unlike most people), but it is in the same ballpark as Pulp. That means if you liked Pulp, you will most likely like Snatch and Lock, Stock. If you have never seen Pulp or Lock Stock, you have deprived your life of culture.
9/10
Snatch is a confusing, twisting, crazy movie. Let me repeat that. This movie is crazy! Imagine the Mr. Toad's Wild Ride at Disney Word on acid, and this is what you get my friend. Believe it or not, this mass confusion and complete insanity is very, very entertaining.
The movie has it's problems. First off, for those of you who have seen Snatch's predecessor, (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), you know that Guy Richie (the writer and director of both films) has a very music-video style as far as the camera angles, movements, and cinematography goes. The strange camera techniques get so mad with lunacy that I noticed people walking out of the theater. I was also turned off by this madness. However, most of this insane crap gets over within the first hour, so it doesn't last.
If any of you people out there loved Lock Stock as much as I did, do yourself a favor and see this movie as fast as you can. Snatch is a bit more serious than Lock Stock, but when it's funny, you'll laugh till your lungs burst. It was nice to see Vinnie Jones, who was Big Chris in the last movie, return as the same basic character (only now named Bullet Tooth Tony) and doing the same "slamming victim's head in a car door" act again. The performances were just as great as Lock Stock, with Jason Statham and Pitt leading the pack. I was disappointed to see that Bendicio Del Toro didn't have a bigger role. I was expecting him to be a lead character, but he's not.
So, in conclusion, if you have never seen Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, I would see that first before seeing Snatch so you can get adjusted to Guy Richie's style. I still think that it is stupid to compare either two movies to Pulp Fiction (unlike most people), but it is in the same ballpark as Pulp. That means if you liked Pulp, you will most likely like Snatch and Lock, Stock. If you have never seen Pulp or Lock Stock, you have deprived your life of culture.
9/10
Upping the ante on lock, stock...
jcthompson7622 January 2001
Warning: Spoilers
I saw the first showing of Snatch in my town this past Friday. I loved it. I am quite a fan of Guy Ritchie's first and was expecting more of the same with Snatch. Rarely do a film's opening credits hype an audience as much as Snatch. Quick paced action-to-freeze-frame-cuts introduce each cast member in situations that identify their character sort. Then we're right in it. It's true, similarities abound between Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. From Vinnie Jones' character's tough as nails negotiating means, to oft referred to in-jokes between characters ('Zee Germans' here compared to 'Tubby Tommy' in LS&2SB). Still the film is fresh and not really a Lock, Stock take 2 of any sort. The humor is more frequent in this one and a major difference is how dark this film is compared to the previous. Alan Ford's Brick Top is the meanest SOB I can remember on film since Mr. Blonde in Reservoir Dogs. Brad Pitt is a standout too as the never to be trusted One Punch Mickey-he's not as incomprehensible as the trailers make him out to be, but still that pikey accent is a huge laugh. And the scene where he is glaring at a burning trailer lumped my throat (when you find the context by which that scene is drawn it should get a reaction from anyone). The use of violence as humor is more embellished in Snatch as well (eg: the Bullet Tooth Tony and Boris the Blade showdown). Secondary characters are all over the movie and all grab laughs from their scenes , especially the dog and the tank of a getaway driver, Tyrone.
See this movie for it's frenetic energy, retribution for the "good guys" is all that ties the end together but the ride to the finale is what makes this movie great. After all, as a wiser man than myself once said, it's not where you go, it's how you get there. Snatch is all about the ride.
See this movie for it's frenetic energy, retribution for the "good guys" is all that ties the end together but the ride to the finale is what makes this movie great. After all, as a wiser man than myself once said, it's not where you go, it's how you get there. Snatch is all about the ride.
Subtitles A Must To Really Enjoy This
ccthemovieman-17 March 2006
I would imagine viewers would either really love this movie or be totally turned off. It is presented in a different format for its time (since copied), has very odd and profane characters, accents that are difficult to understand, and tells an unpleasant story with some disgusting scenes. So, why do I enjoy this film, being an old-fashioned so-and-so?
Well, because I usually enjoy "stylish" film-making and dark humor and this has both in abundance. This is almost as stylish as it gets: fascinating visuals, odd camera angles and various tricks, sound effects, etc. Most of the characters in this bizarre crime film have colorful nicknames and most speak in a strong British accent. A gypsy, played by American Brad Pitt, is almost intelligible.
This is why I strongly recommend you use English subtitles while watching this film, at least for the first viewing, or you will totally lost. The DVD offers a feature I've never seen before: the option of using subtitles solely for Pitt's character. The filmmakers knew few people were going to understand Pitt's weird way of speaking. Anyway, I recommend the subtitles for everyone. It makes the film more enjoyable when you know what's going on, especially with the many slang terms used in here that have to be totally foreign to most viewers outside GB.
Since the action changes every two minutes to another scene with other people (Lord of The Rings subsequently did the same), it's had to get lulled to sleep or have your mind wander. Something wacky is going on every few minutes. The attitudes of the criminals are rough: these are low-life people in the underworld: extremely tough people with the toughest being "Bricktop" (Alan Ford) who likes to feed people to the pigs. There are a ton of f-words in here, too.
The disjointed story is not easy to follow and I found I needed several viewings to understand everything that was going on. The characters are so strange, so cartoon-like, that - combined with the unique visuals - it makes it a fascinating film to watch every time. Some of these actors were fairly unknown at the time of this release , at least here in the States, such as Jason Statham ("The Transporter") but we know them know. There is a good mix of young and old actors in here.
This is a guy's movie with the top dozen actors in this film all tough-talking, almost-crude men (plus a funny dog). It's so weird, I'll just end with the cliché that "this is not for all tastes" but if you enjoy dark humor and something totally different, you might want to give it a shot. Just remember to turn on the subtitles.
Well, because I usually enjoy "stylish" film-making and dark humor and this has both in abundance. This is almost as stylish as it gets: fascinating visuals, odd camera angles and various tricks, sound effects, etc. Most of the characters in this bizarre crime film have colorful nicknames and most speak in a strong British accent. A gypsy, played by American Brad Pitt, is almost intelligible.
This is why I strongly recommend you use English subtitles while watching this film, at least for the first viewing, or you will totally lost. The DVD offers a feature I've never seen before: the option of using subtitles solely for Pitt's character. The filmmakers knew few people were going to understand Pitt's weird way of speaking. Anyway, I recommend the subtitles for everyone. It makes the film more enjoyable when you know what's going on, especially with the many slang terms used in here that have to be totally foreign to most viewers outside GB.
Since the action changes every two minutes to another scene with other people (Lord of The Rings subsequently did the same), it's had to get lulled to sleep or have your mind wander. Something wacky is going on every few minutes. The attitudes of the criminals are rough: these are low-life people in the underworld: extremely tough people with the toughest being "Bricktop" (Alan Ford) who likes to feed people to the pigs. There are a ton of f-words in here, too.
The disjointed story is not easy to follow and I found I needed several viewings to understand everything that was going on. The characters are so strange, so cartoon-like, that - combined with the unique visuals - it makes it a fascinating film to watch every time. Some of these actors were fairly unknown at the time of this release , at least here in the States, such as Jason Statham ("The Transporter") but we know them know. There is a good mix of young and old actors in here.
This is a guy's movie with the top dozen actors in this film all tough-talking, almost-crude men (plus a funny dog). It's so weird, I'll just end with the cliché that "this is not for all tastes" but if you enjoy dark humor and something totally different, you might want to give it a shot. Just remember to turn on the subtitles.
Snatch
auuwws27 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
A very interesting movie, the black and gypsy people in the film were very funny, Brad Pitt created a movie. This is a Russian character who was enjoyable especially the scene of her death, the film villain could have used better, most of the comedy scenes in the film were funny I really enjoyed watching it
My stomach hurts! It literally hurts!
jon-larsen14 December 2010
Last year I was working on the IMDb Top 250 list, and I noticed that Snatch was on the list, so I decided to take a look at it. I was in Denmark at that time. I live in Faroe Islands.
I stayed at my uncle's apartment, and he told me that you have to watch some of Guy Ritchie's movies before watching Snatch to get to know his movies better, so I watched Revolver. I was not very keen on it and then I was not looking forward to see Snatch.
While my uncle was not at home, I decided to watch it. I wanted to turn it off after the first second, because I thought it was so weird. I'm 14 years old now, and I knew almost nothing about cinema back then, and I had never seen such a movie like Snatch, and it's style! I thought it would be stupid of me to turn it off after 1 second so I kinda forced myself to watch it. To be honest, I actually loved the weird style after 10 minutes!
The cinematography was great. I had never seen something like that before and the editing was just as great too. There were lots of great characters and the script was excellent. It was funny and clever and it will you make you laugh every single second! This movie is like Pulp Fiction. You can almost quote every line! The acting was totally awesome! Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones and the rest were great, but Brad Pitt totally stole the show!
I was thinking to myself "This movie can't be any better!", but then it got better! Brad Pitt showed up! His accent got me laughing all the time! My stomach hurt, it literally hurt, and I got many bruises on my thighs because I could not stop hitting myself from laughing!
This was one of the few movies that I didn't want to end, so I decided to watch it again the next day and the next day after that.
I have seen a lot of movies in my life, but there are few movies that are better than this one! It's definitely in my top 15 of all time.
It truly deserves a 10/10
I stayed at my uncle's apartment, and he told me that you have to watch some of Guy Ritchie's movies before watching Snatch to get to know his movies better, so I watched Revolver. I was not very keen on it and then I was not looking forward to see Snatch.
While my uncle was not at home, I decided to watch it. I wanted to turn it off after the first second, because I thought it was so weird. I'm 14 years old now, and I knew almost nothing about cinema back then, and I had never seen such a movie like Snatch, and it's style! I thought it would be stupid of me to turn it off after 1 second so I kinda forced myself to watch it. To be honest, I actually loved the weird style after 10 minutes!
The cinematography was great. I had never seen something like that before and the editing was just as great too. There were lots of great characters and the script was excellent. It was funny and clever and it will you make you laugh every single second! This movie is like Pulp Fiction. You can almost quote every line! The acting was totally awesome! Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones and the rest were great, but Brad Pitt totally stole the show!
I was thinking to myself "This movie can't be any better!", but then it got better! Brad Pitt showed up! His accent got me laughing all the time! My stomach hurt, it literally hurt, and I got many bruises on my thighs because I could not stop hitting myself from laughing!
This was one of the few movies that I didn't want to end, so I decided to watch it again the next day and the next day after that.
I have seen a lot of movies in my life, but there are few movies that are better than this one! It's definitely in my top 15 of all time.
It truly deserves a 10/10
For Every Action, There's A Pikey Reaction!
GirishGowda14 April 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I saw Sherlock Holmes a couple of months ago and it was very good. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed that and my friends were raving about Guy Ritchie's style of film-making. So, now I wanted to see Ritchie's previous works & rented out Snatch as it was 135 in the top 250 of IMDb. I have to say I was very impressed. I didn't want to know anything about this film beforehand as it takes away something from the experience and told my friends to shut up about the plot of Snatch. This was Jason Statham's second film, he was not so well known and Brad Pitt was already a superstar. This is one of the best films out there and I totally agree with IMDb users.
So, this is the plot. Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
Turkish (Jason Statham) and Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt) are obviously the first reason anyone would want to watch to the film. I cannot believe how awesome both Statham & Pitt were in this movie. Tommy is like Turkish's brother, they have known each other for a long time. Turkish is a boxing promoter. He entangles himself in Brick Top's hands, who is a bookmaker and Brick Top is a man you wouldn't want to end up owing him. Franky Four Fingers has a large diamond, 86 carats, which he stole and he is in league with cousin Avi. Boris The Blade wants the diamond. Everyone's a gangster or a goon, so this is a film which has nobody but thugs. Doug The Head is a dealer & if anyone knows about the diamond, he is the man. He has two twin daughters working as his assistants in his shop. Anyway, Tommy wants a caravan for himself and Turkish and goes to the pikeys to buy one. But, there he is scammed and Gorgeous George (Turkish's boxer in the unlicensed match in which Brick Top has invested a large amount of money) and Mickey fight it out in a bare knuckle match and Mickey wins, so George is out for a few months. Now, Turkish hires Mickey as the boxer for the match. The deal was that Mickey had to go down in the fourth round, but he wins in one shot, which doesn't go down too well with Brick Top. Sol and his bumbling amateur robbers get involved with the diamond, the damn dog is in all the scenes they are in which is very funny. Bullet Tooth Tony also wants the diamond. You know what? Trying to explain the plot line is ridiculous. All you need to know is, the story is set in London and most of the English spoken is in British accent.
Mickey's mom is burned down along with the caravan by Brick Top because Mickey tried to get a new caravan for his mother from Turkish and had said he wouldn't fight till he got it. That was very touching, the expression on Brad Pitt's face made me so sad for his mother, I felt is anguish & anger. That was a defining moment in the film. Then the big finale match at the end of the film was just awesome. Tommy, Turkish, Mickey's life and the lives of the whole family and friends of Mickey are on the line on this match. Being the bastard Mickey is, he could not possibly go down in the fourth round at least this time, can he? Brad Pitt, Jason Statham & everybody give an engrossing performance. The film is pure brilliancy on the part of Guy Ritchie, the man has style ingrained on his bones, every scene is visually stylistic and the dialogues are superb, the background score is also really catchy. The way he has interwoven the lives of all these characters is brilliant. How else can you empathize with these characters who are all basically villains going against each other? One thing is for sure, you cannot predict one scene in the film, no matter how many movies you have watched. Go snatch a copy of 'Snatch' (I am lame, I know.)
10/10
So, this is the plot. Unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers, and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
Turkish (Jason Statham) and Mickey O'Neil (Brad Pitt) are obviously the first reason anyone would want to watch to the film. I cannot believe how awesome both Statham & Pitt were in this movie. Tommy is like Turkish's brother, they have known each other for a long time. Turkish is a boxing promoter. He entangles himself in Brick Top's hands, who is a bookmaker and Brick Top is a man you wouldn't want to end up owing him. Franky Four Fingers has a large diamond, 86 carats, which he stole and he is in league with cousin Avi. Boris The Blade wants the diamond. Everyone's a gangster or a goon, so this is a film which has nobody but thugs. Doug The Head is a dealer & if anyone knows about the diamond, he is the man. He has two twin daughters working as his assistants in his shop. Anyway, Tommy wants a caravan for himself and Turkish and goes to the pikeys to buy one. But, there he is scammed and Gorgeous George (Turkish's boxer in the unlicensed match in which Brick Top has invested a large amount of money) and Mickey fight it out in a bare knuckle match and Mickey wins, so George is out for a few months. Now, Turkish hires Mickey as the boxer for the match. The deal was that Mickey had to go down in the fourth round, but he wins in one shot, which doesn't go down too well with Brick Top. Sol and his bumbling amateur robbers get involved with the diamond, the damn dog is in all the scenes they are in which is very funny. Bullet Tooth Tony also wants the diamond. You know what? Trying to explain the plot line is ridiculous. All you need to know is, the story is set in London and most of the English spoken is in British accent.
Mickey's mom is burned down along with the caravan by Brick Top because Mickey tried to get a new caravan for his mother from Turkish and had said he wouldn't fight till he got it. That was very touching, the expression on Brad Pitt's face made me so sad for his mother, I felt is anguish & anger. That was a defining moment in the film. Then the big finale match at the end of the film was just awesome. Tommy, Turkish, Mickey's life and the lives of the whole family and friends of Mickey are on the line on this match. Being the bastard Mickey is, he could not possibly go down in the fourth round at least this time, can he? Brad Pitt, Jason Statham & everybody give an engrossing performance. The film is pure brilliancy on the part of Guy Ritchie, the man has style ingrained on his bones, every scene is visually stylistic and the dialogues are superb, the background score is also really catchy. The way he has interwoven the lives of all these characters is brilliant. How else can you empathize with these characters who are all basically villains going against each other? One thing is for sure, you cannot predict one scene in the film, no matter how many movies you have watched. Go snatch a copy of 'Snatch' (I am lame, I know.)
10/10
Might be my Favorite Movie
meaningbird14 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
So I just saw Snatch and it might be my favorite movie I've ever seen. It is filled with so much fun and funny moments that it made the film so enjoyable to the point where it made me want to write a full review for it. All the cast is great and play their roles really well. The film's comedy is probably the best part about this film. My stomach hurt from laughter because of how funny this film is. This is the end of the non-spoiler section of the review. Another Great part of this movie is the great plot twists especially the one near the end.
Overall this movie was great and I loved every moment of it
I give Snatch an A+
Overall this movie was great and I loved every moment of it
I give Snatch an A+
Style without substance
bob the moo30 December 2002
Warning: Spoilers
A Diamond heist by Franky Four Fingers is carried out and he flies into London on a stop over. He goes to Boris The Blade for a gun and Boris tells him to go to the bookies for him and put money on a fight in exchange. Boris then sets Frankie up and has a group of men waiting to rob the bookies and Frankie. The fight in question is also difficult because promoters Turkish and Tommy have promised local villain Brick Top that they'll put up a fighter. Said fighter is put in hospital by a gypsy Tommy buys a caravan from (Mickey). Putting Mickey in the fight makes things worse when he not only refuses to take a dive but knocks the fighter out - to Bricktop's displeasure! Meanwhile Frankie's boss flies into London to find him and the jewel while Bricktop tries to catch the men who Boris sent to knock over his bookies.
I had seen Lock, Stock and enjoyed it to a certain degree. It had problems but it was fresh and had energy and style. It re-launched the British gangster film with some good ones and some bad copies. One of those copies was Snatch - admittedly a copy by the same director! This film has all the style and energy of the Lock, Stock and borrows heavily from it. However it is clear that the plot is both weak and over-plotted (if that's possible!). It is weak because it is so full of cliché and silly occurrences and it is over-plotted in that every scene needs more plot in order to explain the new thing that just happened!
What keeps it watchable is Ritchie's style and energy. The plot may not work but it moves along with pace that almost (almost) covers it's lack of substance. So we get the same old cockney gangsterisms, dark humour, Vinnie Jones being tough with a few good lines and so on. It felt to me like Ritchie just didn't have any other ideas in him. It's all very samey but his style saves it as he intercuts and delivers some really inventive shots. In tune with this style and energy is the casting. The film is much better cast that it deserves!
Statham and Graham are the least colourful characters in the piece and Ritchie knows it - so despite being the leads, they often play second fiddle and only act as the catalyst. Ford, Reid, Jones et al all enjoy delivering tough old stereotypes and do well enough considering what they're there to do. Pitt is a great bit of casting - and here he is DELIBERATELY doing a bad Irish accent (unlike Devil's Own where it was an accident!). He is funny and seems to enjoy playing out of type. Likewise Del Toro and Farina can only help add class to the film.
Overall though this is a victory for style over substance. It's visual style and general energy will carry it for the running time but when it was over I found it had failed to make any lasting impact on it and I really could remember very little of it - it had just seemed noisy and in a rush to get somewhere. Sure, I enjoyed it while it was on, but as little as 10 minutes afterwards I realised that I'd been taken for a ride by the style and flair of Ritchie. At time of writing it is 199 in the top 250 - you gotta be kidding me!
I had seen Lock, Stock and enjoyed it to a certain degree. It had problems but it was fresh and had energy and style. It re-launched the British gangster film with some good ones and some bad copies. One of those copies was Snatch - admittedly a copy by the same director! This film has all the style and energy of the Lock, Stock and borrows heavily from it. However it is clear that the plot is both weak and over-plotted (if that's possible!). It is weak because it is so full of cliché and silly occurrences and it is over-plotted in that every scene needs more plot in order to explain the new thing that just happened!
What keeps it watchable is Ritchie's style and energy. The plot may not work but it moves along with pace that almost (almost) covers it's lack of substance. So we get the same old cockney gangsterisms, dark humour, Vinnie Jones being tough with a few good lines and so on. It felt to me like Ritchie just didn't have any other ideas in him. It's all very samey but his style saves it as he intercuts and delivers some really inventive shots. In tune with this style and energy is the casting. The film is much better cast that it deserves!
Statham and Graham are the least colourful characters in the piece and Ritchie knows it - so despite being the leads, they often play second fiddle and only act as the catalyst. Ford, Reid, Jones et al all enjoy delivering tough old stereotypes and do well enough considering what they're there to do. Pitt is a great bit of casting - and here he is DELIBERATELY doing a bad Irish accent (unlike Devil's Own where it was an accident!). He is funny and seems to enjoy playing out of type. Likewise Del Toro and Farina can only help add class to the film.
Overall though this is a victory for style over substance. It's visual style and general energy will carry it for the running time but when it was over I found it had failed to make any lasting impact on it and I really could remember very little of it - it had just seemed noisy and in a rush to get somewhere. Sure, I enjoyed it while it was on, but as little as 10 minutes afterwards I realised that I'd been taken for a ride by the style and flair of Ritchie. At time of writing it is 199 in the top 250 - you gotta be kidding me!
Brutally funny, a stylish masterpiece
pyrocitor23 July 2007
The tightly knit formula for the average "heist movie", is constantly in danger of becoming predictable to the point of redundancy with each new increasingly formulaic entry, so to see a film quietly whisk in and reinvigorate the genre was a refreshing feat indeed. And if anyone was up for the task, it was visionary director Guy Ritchie, sweeping into theaters fresh off his cult classic Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to deliver his most hard hitting, savagely funny and effortlessly stylish film to date - Snatch.
Director Ritchie has somewhat fallen out of favour with both critics and audiences of late with both his ill-advised cinematic tribute to his wife Madonna, Swept Away, and his nonsensical gambling drama Revolver, so it is easy to forget how masterful a filmmaker he can truly be when given the chance. Ritchie's convoluted tale, which ties together three parallel stories involving a diamond theft and the world of unlicensed bare knuckle boxing in the British underground may prove to be too full of twists and turns to be followed entirely on the first viewing. This, along with the stylistic similarities to its predecessor may prove to be the film's only major criticism; however, it is highly unlikely the majority of audiences will feel alienated by the fact that the adrenaline fuelled plot may prove hard to follow, and instead relish the chance to revisit the film multiple times to pick up on things they may have missed in previous viewings. In a film with as much to appreciate as this, it comes as no surprise that multiple viewings never seem to detract from the experience, but that the film seems only to increase in quality upon each viewing.
Stylistically, the film is in a class of its own, employing hyper-kinetic cinematography and editing, which proves to be some of the most vivid and inventive work demonstrated in recent cinematic history. The film's score and musical selection is consistently pitch perfect, and endlessly catchy, never failing to amplify the seedy yet comical mood. Ritchie's sense of pacing is impeccable, and how a film which opens with a group of Jewish rabbis entering a bank, (which in itself sounds like the beginning to a particularly brilliant joke) only to steal its valuable contents, launching the film into an adrenaline fuelled title sequence could ever be considered not funny or at the very least oozing with style is beyond conventional logic. Ritchie also proves to have a real eye for location, and in each scene the viewer feels fully immersed in the grunge and filth of the underground, making the film that much more effective.
The ensemble cast rise to the challenge of bringing Ritchie's brilliant screenplay to life, and turn out universally superb performances, each creating a unique and memorable character, complete with catchy names. Jason Statham is consistently strong as boxing promoter Turkish; his deadpan delivery and excellent narration carry the film wonderfully. Steven Graham similarly raises many a laugh as his consistently dumbfounded sidekick, Tommy. Benicio Del Toro makes wonderful use of his far too brief screen time as gambling addicted diamond thief Franky Four Fingers - his Las Vegas gambling flashbacks are nothing less than flat out hilarious. Ritchie favourite Vinnie Jones is savagely hilarious as mercenary Bullet Tooth Tony (a role it would seem is only a step away from his real life persona) and Russian actor Rade Serbedzija creates a simply classic character as arms dealer 'Boris the Blade'. Character actor Alan Ford makes for an exquisitely menacing antagonist as gambling shark 'Brick Top', and Robbie Gee and Lennie James are consistently hilarious as thoroughly unlucky attempted jewellery thieves. But surprisingly enough, the film's unlikely standout proves without a question to be its biggest star: Brad Pitt, waltzing in to steal the show as incomprehensible 'Pikey' boxer Mickey - an egoless and thoroughly hilarious performance.
Though this may be familiar ground for those who have seen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie's Snatch is no less enjoyable as a result - brutally violent, caustic and hilarious, with Ritchie's trademark sense of incomparable style. Snatch excels in every possible aspect, and the truly talented cast bring their vibrant characters to life with unquestionable flair, each one flat out hilarious when given their moment to shine. Though all of the film's intricacies may not be entirely clear on the first viewing, this only makes each following viewing all the more intriguing and entertaining. For those who have yet to appreciate the cinematic genius that is Snatch... don't wait for protection from "Zee Germans", simply see it!
-10/10
Director Ritchie has somewhat fallen out of favour with both critics and audiences of late with both his ill-advised cinematic tribute to his wife Madonna, Swept Away, and his nonsensical gambling drama Revolver, so it is easy to forget how masterful a filmmaker he can truly be when given the chance. Ritchie's convoluted tale, which ties together three parallel stories involving a diamond theft and the world of unlicensed bare knuckle boxing in the British underground may prove to be too full of twists and turns to be followed entirely on the first viewing. This, along with the stylistic similarities to its predecessor may prove to be the film's only major criticism; however, it is highly unlikely the majority of audiences will feel alienated by the fact that the adrenaline fuelled plot may prove hard to follow, and instead relish the chance to revisit the film multiple times to pick up on things they may have missed in previous viewings. In a film with as much to appreciate as this, it comes as no surprise that multiple viewings never seem to detract from the experience, but that the film seems only to increase in quality upon each viewing.
Stylistically, the film is in a class of its own, employing hyper-kinetic cinematography and editing, which proves to be some of the most vivid and inventive work demonstrated in recent cinematic history. The film's score and musical selection is consistently pitch perfect, and endlessly catchy, never failing to amplify the seedy yet comical mood. Ritchie's sense of pacing is impeccable, and how a film which opens with a group of Jewish rabbis entering a bank, (which in itself sounds like the beginning to a particularly brilliant joke) only to steal its valuable contents, launching the film into an adrenaline fuelled title sequence could ever be considered not funny or at the very least oozing with style is beyond conventional logic. Ritchie also proves to have a real eye for location, and in each scene the viewer feels fully immersed in the grunge and filth of the underground, making the film that much more effective.
The ensemble cast rise to the challenge of bringing Ritchie's brilliant screenplay to life, and turn out universally superb performances, each creating a unique and memorable character, complete with catchy names. Jason Statham is consistently strong as boxing promoter Turkish; his deadpan delivery and excellent narration carry the film wonderfully. Steven Graham similarly raises many a laugh as his consistently dumbfounded sidekick, Tommy. Benicio Del Toro makes wonderful use of his far too brief screen time as gambling addicted diamond thief Franky Four Fingers - his Las Vegas gambling flashbacks are nothing less than flat out hilarious. Ritchie favourite Vinnie Jones is savagely hilarious as mercenary Bullet Tooth Tony (a role it would seem is only a step away from his real life persona) and Russian actor Rade Serbedzija creates a simply classic character as arms dealer 'Boris the Blade'. Character actor Alan Ford makes for an exquisitely menacing antagonist as gambling shark 'Brick Top', and Robbie Gee and Lennie James are consistently hilarious as thoroughly unlucky attempted jewellery thieves. But surprisingly enough, the film's unlikely standout proves without a question to be its biggest star: Brad Pitt, waltzing in to steal the show as incomprehensible 'Pikey' boxer Mickey - an egoless and thoroughly hilarious performance.
Though this may be familiar ground for those who have seen Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Guy Ritchie's Snatch is no less enjoyable as a result - brutally violent, caustic and hilarious, with Ritchie's trademark sense of incomparable style. Snatch excels in every possible aspect, and the truly talented cast bring their vibrant characters to life with unquestionable flair, each one flat out hilarious when given their moment to shine. Though all of the film's intricacies may not be entirely clear on the first viewing, this only makes each following viewing all the more intriguing and entertaining. For those who have yet to appreciate the cinematic genius that is Snatch... don't wait for protection from "Zee Germans", simply see it!
-10/10
Fun, Fast, and down right cool
kmillervir15 June 2007
Snatch is definitely much better than Ritchies first movie "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and is one of the most underrated films ever. I don't know why no one has ever seen this movie, its gotta be up there with some of the funnest, and most creative movies ever. Its fast the whole time, you never get bored, it has a good mix of action and dialogue. Its one of the coolest movies you'll ever see. Go out, rent it, and then buy it. Its better than any other below the belt action movies you can get. Its funny, smart, and there is really no other movie like it. The acting is good, story is even better, Ritchie is one of the best new directors and everyone should go out and see his movies. Go out and buy this movie before it disappears, you wont be sorry
Snatch has it all
ndmlosi13 October 2005
This was an amazing movie. The dialogue was extremely witty and tied in with the acting perfectly. There is an element of hilarity which will also appeal to a lot of people. Not a single actor in this movie was bad, each person played their role perfectly. The different cultures were portrayed perfectly and the acting reflects on that.
Another really cool aspect of the movie were the wonderfully colorful names that each character gets. They alone contribute to the culture.
It's amazing how the entire movie revolves around one pivotal moment in the beginning but then branches out into the matrix of stories that are all entwined and then brought back together in the end.
This is the epitome of a good movie, great acting, great actors, great story, great culture, great dialogue. "Snatch" has it all.
Another really cool aspect of the movie were the wonderfully colorful names that each character gets. They alone contribute to the culture.
It's amazing how the entire movie revolves around one pivotal moment in the beginning but then branches out into the matrix of stories that are all entwined and then brought back together in the end.
This is the epitome of a good movie, great acting, great actors, great story, great culture, great dialogue. "Snatch" has it all.
You must have already decided to love it before watching...
iKramerica-18 April 2009
That's the only way I can explain these rave reviews and 8.2 average. Because if you come into the movie actually looking for a great story with great acting and diverse, interesting characters, well, you won't get it. But if you've decided you like "hip, cool, wise cracking British gangsters" and Guy Ritchie's ADD style of directing before you even sit down, then you'll decide this is just what you thought it would be, and give it a 10.
That's the only way I can fathom how people thought this was a great movie, let alone a good movie. I mean, if you take every cliché ever put into a gangster film and rehash it with tommy gun rapidity, that's the first 15 minutes of Snatch. And it just keeps going, and going. I got so bored with it, I stopped watching. So maybe it's really great in the end? I doubt it...
That's the only way I can fathom how people thought this was a great movie, let alone a good movie. I mean, if you take every cliché ever put into a gangster film and rehash it with tommy gun rapidity, that's the first 15 minutes of Snatch. And it just keeps going, and going. I got so bored with it, I stopped watching. So maybe it's really great in the end? I doubt it...
Lot of characters not much interest
Floated26 July 2017
Snatch has been critically acclaimed throughout and has been praised as such a great film with an interesting take on a British crime, involving many characters. However as watching the film, there were many characters but too many where we did not care for them. The plot at times is confusing with these characters all coming together but in the end we do not really care. For a film with a running time of a little over 1 hour 40 minutes, it feels longer than one should. As an ensemble cast, not many stand out except Jason Statham (in a very early role in his career) and Brad Pitt (though not in a good way, speaking with a difficult hard to hearing accent- and wondering why he took this role).
Too many characters, and were not interesting, was hard to remember their names as well. What makes it worse is the constant jumping from characters and scenes. Snatch is quite the overrated film and wondering why it is currently in the IMDb top 250 with a rating of 8.3. Also praise with comedy and having humor but nothing into the film is quite at that, where the scenes feel bland and wondering as to what people found funny. Apart from some of the boxing scenes involving Brad Pitt, the scenes with Jason Statham and the last 20 minutes or so, Snatch is not a good recommend.
Too many characters, and were not interesting, was hard to remember their names as well. What makes it worse is the constant jumping from characters and scenes. Snatch is quite the overrated film and wondering why it is currently in the IMDb top 250 with a rating of 8.3. Also praise with comedy and having humor but nothing into the film is quite at that, where the scenes feel bland and wondering as to what people found funny. Apart from some of the boxing scenes involving Brad Pitt, the scenes with Jason Statham and the last 20 minutes or so, Snatch is not a good recommend.
Slick,quick,but ultimately empty gangster opus
BJJManchester4 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Upper middle-class mockney Guy Ritchie virtually remakes his previous hit LOCK,STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS,but this time with a larger budget,the addition of a Hollywood big-name (Brad Pitt),and even more flamboyant surface style than before.But this does not disguise the excessively complicated plot,the rather glib characterisations (not enhanced by jokey,Runyonese monikers),and the undoubted emptiness that lies beneath Ritchie's directorial excesses which threatened to get out of hand on LOCK STOCK;it certainly goes several miles overboard in SNATCH,which is to the film's considerable detriment.It is quite obvious that Ritchie is impersonating such American filmmakers as Scorcese and Tarantino (who himself has always been somewhat derivative of other directors,and judging by his recent efforts seems to be running out of the ideas he once had),though the gangster epics made by the aforementioned had far more style,depth,wit and conviction about them.Ritchie's closeted,wealthy background means that his essay in low-life criminality comes across as a caricatured,stylised fantasy,which admittedly is slick and very fast-paced,but lacking in the slightest bit of profundity.He may think his various directorial flourishes which he frequently employs here (and to a somewhat lesser extent in LOCK STOCK) are clever and the epitome of innovation,but they are actually anything but;merely designed to cover the obviousness of the plot,they rapidly become wearisomely flashy,and so resistibly self regarding as to become monstrous and indeed wholly pointless and unnecessary;subtler and quieter directorial techniques would've been much more credible and effective.
The cast involved (Alan Ford,Jason Statham,Lennie James,Dennis Farina among them) appearing as various English,American and Russian mobsters are mostly adequate but are merely reduced to a back-seat ensemble due to Ritchie's directorial self-gratification.As with LOCK STOCK,Vinnie Jones plays Vinnie Jones again,though with even less persuasion this time,the soundtrack includes a tune from Ritchie's future spouse Madonna (it's doubtful much money had to paid for the copyright there),and Pitt is rather foolish as a virtually unintelligible Irish Traveller who gets dragged in to this most complex of stories.The only female role of any note comes from Sorcha Cusack as Pitt's mother,and that consists of a mere sprinkling of exposition. SNATCH has it's merits but like it's somewhat better predecessor LOCK STOCK,mostly gives the undeniable impression that it is overwhelmingly pleased with it's own bravado,which when you look more closely is not as outstanding as it believes it is.And Ritchie's subsequent flops (SWEPT AWAY,REVOLVER) means he will have to tone down his narcissism very soon or his career may never recover.
RATING:5 and a half out of 10.
The cast involved (Alan Ford,Jason Statham,Lennie James,Dennis Farina among them) appearing as various English,American and Russian mobsters are mostly adequate but are merely reduced to a back-seat ensemble due to Ritchie's directorial self-gratification.As with LOCK STOCK,Vinnie Jones plays Vinnie Jones again,though with even less persuasion this time,the soundtrack includes a tune from Ritchie's future spouse Madonna (it's doubtful much money had to paid for the copyright there),and Pitt is rather foolish as a virtually unintelligible Irish Traveller who gets dragged in to this most complex of stories.The only female role of any note comes from Sorcha Cusack as Pitt's mother,and that consists of a mere sprinkling of exposition. SNATCH has it's merits but like it's somewhat better predecessor LOCK STOCK,mostly gives the undeniable impression that it is overwhelmingly pleased with it's own bravado,which when you look more closely is not as outstanding as it believes it is.And Ritchie's subsequent flops (SWEPT AWAY,REVOLVER) means he will have to tone down his narcissism very soon or his career may never recover.
RATING:5 and a half out of 10.
Classic!
darylanders29 September 2018
Ok, so my preference is definitely Lock Stock - but I have to say, the Hollywood meets UK variety of films is really cool and fun. This film was a great combo of humour and action. Check it out if you haven't already.
But I like style over substance. Who took the jam out of your donut?
Torgo_Approves27 October 2006
(r#93)
Whine, whine, whine, is that all you people know how to do? I mean, sorry to burst your bubble, but Snatch is not the kind of film you give an in-depth analysis. Snatch is a roller-coaster ride that you just sit back and enjoy. It is a brilliantly funny movie, with an unimportant story which still takes a couple of viewings to fully absorb. Add to that a fantastic cast, including Benicio Del Toro, Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, the dog, and Alan Ford as the sweet-natured Brick Top. Add to *that* that Guy Ritchie's fantastic way of using his camera and music to give the fantastic flair that is the trademark of his "lorry-gangsta" films. What more could you want?
Everyone's raving about Brad Pitt's performance as the incomprehensible Mickey, and yes, he's great. But Rabe Serbedzija doesn't get nearly enough attention as Boris the Blade! This guy is pure comic genius. Watch the scene where he's selling a gun to Turkish's partner Tommy. A fantastic actor all around. But what am I talking about? Literally every single actor is hilarious in this film. Benicio Del Toro is a complete psycho, Jason Statham keeps burning his buddy Tommy, Alan Ford is brutal (in more than one way) as the crime boss who feeds people to the pigs. The rather unknown Robbie Gee, Lennie James and Ade all hit the right notes as three slightly-less-than-competent street thugs.
Do I even need to say that the script is utterly brilliant? Who can forget these lines?? "I shoot you! You go down!"; "It was two minutes five minutes ago!"; "What? You don't think I've got the vitamins?"; "Do you know what 'nemesis' means?"; "It was *behind* you, Tyrone. When you reverse, things tend to come up from behind you!"; "Tommy, 'the tit', is praying. And if he isn't, he f-ing should be."; "Don't snatch!"; "I love this song!"; "Anything to declare?" "Yeah. Don't go to England."; the list goes on and on.
Overall a hilarious, forgettable, but instantly quotable flick to just turn on and enjoy the hell out of whenever you're bored. And what's wrong with that? Do you really want every film to change your life? Snatch is entertainment at its finest, and if you have to whine about 1-dimensional characters, bad storyline, or style over substance, start a blog. At least then we won't have to read it.
PS. IMDb doesn't know what a blog is.
Whine, whine, whine, is that all you people know how to do? I mean, sorry to burst your bubble, but Snatch is not the kind of film you give an in-depth analysis. Snatch is a roller-coaster ride that you just sit back and enjoy. It is a brilliantly funny movie, with an unimportant story which still takes a couple of viewings to fully absorb. Add to that a fantastic cast, including Benicio Del Toro, Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham, Brad Pitt, the dog, and Alan Ford as the sweet-natured Brick Top. Add to *that* that Guy Ritchie's fantastic way of using his camera and music to give the fantastic flair that is the trademark of his "lorry-gangsta" films. What more could you want?
Everyone's raving about Brad Pitt's performance as the incomprehensible Mickey, and yes, he's great. But Rabe Serbedzija doesn't get nearly enough attention as Boris the Blade! This guy is pure comic genius. Watch the scene where he's selling a gun to Turkish's partner Tommy. A fantastic actor all around. But what am I talking about? Literally every single actor is hilarious in this film. Benicio Del Toro is a complete psycho, Jason Statham keeps burning his buddy Tommy, Alan Ford is brutal (in more than one way) as the crime boss who feeds people to the pigs. The rather unknown Robbie Gee, Lennie James and Ade all hit the right notes as three slightly-less-than-competent street thugs.
Do I even need to say that the script is utterly brilliant? Who can forget these lines?? "I shoot you! You go down!"; "It was two minutes five minutes ago!"; "What? You don't think I've got the vitamins?"; "Do you know what 'nemesis' means?"; "It was *behind* you, Tyrone. When you reverse, things tend to come up from behind you!"; "Tommy, 'the tit', is praying. And if he isn't, he f-ing should be."; "Don't snatch!"; "I love this song!"; "Anything to declare?" "Yeah. Don't go to England."; the list goes on and on.
Overall a hilarious, forgettable, but instantly quotable flick to just turn on and enjoy the hell out of whenever you're bored. And what's wrong with that? Do you really want every film to change your life? Snatch is entertainment at its finest, and if you have to whine about 1-dimensional characters, bad storyline, or style over substance, start a blog. At least then we won't have to read it.
PS. IMDb doesn't know what a blog is.
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