Movie · 2008 · Action, Crime, Thriller · 1h 54m · R · English
Curator score: 3.9/10 (383.6K ratings)
A story of sex, thugs and rock 'n roll.
Overview
When a Russian mobster sets up a real estate scam that generates millions of pounds, various members of London's criminal underworld pursue their share of the fortune. Various shady characters, including Mr One-Two, Stella the accountant, and Johnny Quid, a druggie rock-star, try to claim their slice.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.9/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.46/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 60%
Metacritic: 53
TMDB: 7.0/10
Director
Guy Ritchie
Production
StudioCanal, Dark Castle Entertainment, Toff Guy Films, Warner Bros. Pictures
Cast
Gerard Butler, Tom Wilkinson, Thandiwe Newton, Mark Strong, Idris Elba, Tom Hardy, Karel Roden, Toby Kebbell, Jeremy Piven, Ludacris, Jimi Mistry, Matt King, Geoff Bell, Dragan Mićanović, Michael Ryan, Nonso Anozie, Gemma Arterton, David Bark-Jones, David Leon, Bronson Webb
Curator Review
Verdict
A slick, fast-talking London crime caper with sharp editing, a strong ensemble, and plenty of swagger. It’s often more entertaining than coherent, but if you like Guy Ritchie’s early gangster energy and don’t mind a messy plot, it delivers a lot of style for the money.
Best for
fans of British crime comedies
viewers who enjoy ensemble capers and criminal cross-currents
people who like stylized editing, banter, and needle-drop energy
audiences looking for a lighter, more playful gangster film
Skip if
you want a tightly plotted thriller with clean payoffs
you dislike hyper-stylized dialogue and macho posturing
you prefer grounded realism over comic-book criminality
you’re already tired of the Guy Ritchie crime formula
Overview
RocknRolla is a swaggering return to London underworld chaos, built from overlapping hustles, double-crosses, and characters who all think they’re the smartest person in the room. The movie’s appeal is immediate: brisk cutting, sharp visual rhythm, and a cast that seems to be having a very good time playing crooks, fixers, and hangers-on.
Worth noting
It’s also a film where style often outruns structure. The plot keeps multiplying, the mechanics get a little tangled, and the ending feels more like a tease than a full landing. But that looseness is part of the charm if you come for attitude, momentum, and the pleasure of watching a crime machine spin out in entertaining ways.
Bottom line
For viewers who like their gangster movies funny, profane, and a bit glossy, this is an easy recommendation. For anyone needing emotional depth or airtight storytelling, it may feel like a lesser cousin to the director’s sharper early work.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Robin (3★) · 907 likes
Can't believe being gay didn't exist until Tom Hardy invented it in 2008.
Simone (5★) · 653 likes
I should probably explain why this is my favorite Guy Ritchie movie because I'm probably alone in this (most people seem to prefer Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch). Here's all I've got:
• Idris Elba • Tom Hardy • Mark Strong (with some seriously sexy hair) • Tom Wilkinson is just a fucking badass • Jeremy Piven • Tom Hardy. Did I say that one already? • Best editing to turn a weird and hilarious sex scene… more
Nakul (3.5★) · 328 likes
I still think that ROCKNROLLA is an underrated movie. I have always liked it and that has not changed. It's stylish, profane, funny and wholly entertaining with a colorful cast of characters portrayed by a foray of A-list actors, they really elevate the movie when the plot mechanics threaten to drive it into a ditch. If u like Guy Ritchie's oeuvre then you're going to have a blast. It follows the classic Ritchie's London Gangster flick formula with great results. I wish they would have done a sequel.
sarah (4★) · 289 likes
a Guy Ritchie movie? more like a gay Ritchie movie me thinks
Milez Das (4★) · 245 likes
I just want Tom Hardy to hold me as we slow dance until death comes to us and we get buried in each others arms with a smile on our faces.
I love Tom Hardy!!!