British writer and director Guy Ritchie broke out in the mainstream with his highly entertaining crime comedy Snatch. With a star-studded ensemble including Jason Statham and Brad Pitt, Ritchie weaves a story of several criminals who get entangled with each other when a diamond goes missing. Snatch drew praise for its bizarre humor, fast-paced editing, and multiple storylines. While Guy Ritchie has embarked on several big-budget productions and franchises ever since his breakout hit, Snatch still remains to be his magnum opus.
The impact of the movie remains on several dark comedies that have come out in the following years.
Seven Psychopaths (2012)
Martin McDonagh’s movie is similar to Snatch in many ways, whether it be the absurd tone, the ensemble, as well as satirical takes on nationalities like Irish and British. Colin Farrell stars as a struggling screenwriter in Seven Psychopaths who’s looking for an interesting event in life that he can put to paper. His deranged friends end up kidnapping a gangster’s pet dog for this purpose. The rollercoaster ride that follows forms the remainder of the plot.
Seven Psychopaths makes for an entertaining watch, thanks to McDonagh’s witty back-and-forth dialogue and performances by Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken.
Matchstick Men (2003)
Another dark comedy that stars Sam Rockwell in the supporting cast, Matchstick Men is an attempt by Ridley Scott to tap in the crime comedy genre. Typical to the tropes of the genre, the movie offers several multi-layered characters led by Nicholas Cage’s lead act as a depressed con artist.
However, when his teenage daughter appears all of a sudden, he’s confronted with his parenting fears. He’s willing to teach her the tricks of the trade but it turns out to be a bad idea. A character-driven comedy-drama, Matchstick Men tries to avoid clichés of movies around con-jobs by focusing more on the people that are behind the con rather than the con itself.
Logan Lucky (2017)
Several convicts participate in a crew assembled by two brothers (Adam Driver and Channing Tatum) with their mission being to orchestrate a heist during a NASCAR race. Director Steven Soderbergh came out of a self-proclaimed retirement to direct the comedy with a top-class ensemble.
While Soderbergh has had previous experience with ensemble-led heist movies in the form of the glamorous Ocean’s trilogy, Logan Lucky feels more heartfelt with a more humanized background on each character. With that being side, the movie still oozes with enough style to make it a modern heist classic.
Trainspotting (1996)
Irvine Welsh’s Irish novel got an iconic makeover with Danny Boyle’s surreal direction. Young Renton (Ewan McGregor) and his rag-tag bunch of junkie friends spend day and night, just walking on the streets or doing drugs. But it’s the little observations and the quirky characters they encounter that add life to the story.
While some might feel that it glorifies substance abuse, the movie actually attempts to get a first-person perspective on an addict and the struggles he goes through to make some sense in his life. Aside from stylish editing and quotable lines, Trainspotting has one of the best soundtracks in recent memory boasting of artists like Iggy Pop and Underworld.
A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
A heist comedy starring Jamie Lee Curtis as the titular Wanda, the movie is one of the slightly different projects by Monty Python alum John Cleese (who stars and writes the screenplay). Wanda is a con artist who double-crosses her team but her plan goes awry when she finds love on the way. The simple-minded movie has still aged well because of its continuously turbulent story and smartly-written hilarity.
While Curtis steals the show, Kevin Kline had a star-making performance as one of the con men. He even ended up winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor while Cleese earned an original screenplay nomination.
Burn After Reading (2008)
Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt steal the show in this typical Coen Brothers black comedy as they play two naïve gym employees who chance upon some sensitive CIA information. What follows is a series of unfortunate events with espionage, infidelity, and killing involved.
While it has a generally humorous tone, Burn After Reading delves into darker territories exposing the extents to which special security agencies can go to monitor citizens. One would have quite a lot of laughs while watching it but will question the surveillance around them by the third act. The rest of the ensemble includes veterans who are in perfect form, like Tilda Swinton, George Clooney, and John Malkovich.
The Nice Guys (2016)
Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe star as two bumbling private detectives investigating a murder of a porn star in this stylish and flashy noir set in the 1970s. Writer-director Shane Black is at his A-game as the movie finds its strength in the perfectly matched lead actors as well as a young Angourie Rice who stars as the daughter of Gosling’s character.
Gosling himself seems to be distant from his silent Drive and Blade Runner 2049 personas as he gets many scenes to display his comedic timing. The Nice Guys also feels like a heartfelt tribute the music and general pop culture of that era.
The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
Leonardo DiCaprio emulates the infamous personality Jordan Belfort in this unconventional biopic, brimming with fourth-wall breaks, hasty editing, and an unhealthy amount of sex and drugs. It’s filled with several tropes reminiscent to director Martin Scorsese’s filmography while building an interactive look into the notorious life of Belfort, an increasingly corrupt Wall Street broker-turned-money launderer.
The Wolf of Wall Street might have its inaccuracies but it still makes for engaging entertainment. The story might not be new but its execution is definitely unique in its own right.
Black Dynamite (2009)
While leading man Michael Jai White might be known for his R-rated action dramas, Black Dynamite offers a satirical action route to the star. The movie's stylish aura is evident from the heavy influence it takes from the Blaxploitation genre. The martial artist/actor dons an afro and a shiny suit in the 1970s while seeking revenge for his dead brother. In his journey, he chances upon a sinister plan in which the Nixon-led government has a hand.
This action-comedy should be on viewers’ watchlists if they wish to watch a parody that equal parts smart and goofy. While it’s an obvious parody of the era and the genre it covers, Black Dynamite also functions as an effective homage to the same.
Lock, Stock, And Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
This is the movie that marked Guy Ritchie’s debut. Frequent collaborators like Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham form the star cast. In many ways, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels can be seen as the spiritual predecessor to Snatch. It again involves multiple characters in the world of mobsters. The basic plot is around a group of friends who lose a gangster’s money at a poker game and must pay him back.
With its weirdly pleasant blend of violence and comedy, critics and audiences rightfully saw Guy Ritchie as some kind of British Tarantino, heralding an age of several crime capers with British humor.