Every once in awhile the buzz on a particular movie reaches you in various ways before you've even heard of the film. Then, all of a sudden it's there, right in front of you; the result of this mountain of hype, this great measurement of pomp & circumstance.

Most often, the hype becomes a let-down of massive proportions (Meet the Parents, The Sixth Sense) and you become so disillusioned to the whole affair that you just say "Oh forget it!" and crawl into a hole.

But on the opposite end of the spectrum you have movies like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, the kind of flick that the magazines rave about for months before the film hits the U.S., much less your mid-size Midwestern town.

However, as it seems to happen, (way too often, in my opinion)the film comes and goes before I can even make plans to see it. The back-up plan? Video. Video, that bastard child of the movies and television. But we make do with what we can in these cases.

And the wait was worth it! Guy Ritchie's directorial debut (he has a background in music videos) is a firecracker of a film; it sparkles and crackles as it burns. Ritchie takes some of the most unusual plot elements and makes them all realistic.

His use of dialog and location is ingenious on a level only rivaled by the very best directors (see Scorcese, Coppola, Lasse Hallstrom) in the industry. The conversations are fast and furious, filled with little innuendos and in-jokes that you can't even begin to fathom, you just have to go along for the ride. The rapport and camradarie between the characters is remarkable as well, portraying one of the most genuine-looking screen friend- and kinships I've ever seen.

The film involves multiple story lines and groups of characters that intersect and overlap in the most Byzantine ways--it's almost enough to make your eyes go crossed. But stick with it, it will come through in the end.

But if I had to say what the film's major weakness is, it would definitely be that a couple of the characters are similar looking and can easily confuse you as far as the snaking plot lines go. The rest of the package it top-notch, and manages to thrill and please just fine on video. We have to make do, you know.

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels:B+

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age