Movies - Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

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	Movies - Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) is a British film directed and written by Guy Ritchie, and produced by Matthew Vaughn.

The story is a caper comedy involving a cocky young card shark who loses £500,000 to a powerful crimelord in a rigged game of three card brag. In order to pay off his debts, he and his friends decide to rob a small-time gang who happen to be operating out of the flat next door, and whom they have overheard plotting to rob a drug dealer.

The film garnered Guy Ritchie international acclaim, and introduced actors Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones, a former British soccer player, to worldwide audiences.

The movie contains non-conventional cinematography with scenes often having shaky camera movement which adds to the dynamic nature of the film. The soundtrack of the movie is very vivid and well-synchronized with the action on the screen.

The film is a violent black comedy which boasts a rich cast of characters.

In 2004 the magazine Total Film named Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels the 38th greatest British film of all time.

A television series, Lock, Stock...The Series, followed in 2000.

Plot

There are four criminal gangs involved in the plot. The first (in order of appearance) is not really a gang at the outset as it consists of four friends: Eddie, Tom, Soap and Bacon. The second is that of Harry 'The Hatchet' Lonsdale with Barry 'The Baptist', Harry's personal bodyguard and counsellor, and Big Chris, Harry's debt-collector. The third is Rory Breaker's gang, consisting of numerous black heavies. Finally, the fourth is Dog's gang, consisting of some five men, one of whom, Plank, is key to the plot. Also involved is the fence, Nick the Greek, and Liverpudlian petty criminals, Gary and Dean.

At the start of the film Eddie and friends collect 25,000 pounds each to help Eddie bet against Harry 'The Hatchet' Lonsdale, an infamous gangster and a card shark. However, the game was fixed by Harry and Eddie ends up owing 500,000 pounds to Harry. Harry threatens to cut off Eddie and his friends' fingers, one by one, for each day the debt goes unpaid. The friends are understandably distressed. Meanwhile, Harry's aim is to get hold of Eddie's father's bar. The story goes that long ago Eddie's father, JD, beat Harry in a card game some years ago and used the proceeds to purchase the bar. However, JD refuses to give up his bar, ignoring the threat to his son.

At the same time, Gary and Dean receive an offer from Barry (on Harry's request) to get him two extremely valuable antique shotguns. They steal the guns in question (and some others) from their current owner. However, during the break in, they are shot at by one of the occupants of the house, with the antique shotguns. This means that the shotguns were out of the gun cabinet and out of secrecy Barry had only specified that he wanted the guns from the cabinet. Gary and Dean give him the modern ones, while the antique ones are considered to be unwanted and sold to Nick the Greek.

Meanwhile, Dog, who lives next door to Eddie, plans to rob an illegal drug laboratory, run by four rather peaceful and unarmed 'botanicals'. Plank, a long-time client of the laboratory, provides the necessary information. Accidentally Eddie and his friends overhear Dog's plans through a wall. They decide to ambush Dog and his associates at his flat once they return from the job, and take all the stolen money and drugs. They contact Nick the Greek, offering to sell him the marijuana that they plan to obtain. Nick sells them the guns that they will need for the ambush which, of course, turn out to be the two antique shotguns in which Hatchet Harry was interested.

Harry discovers that the guns Barry brought him are the wrong ones. He urges Barry to get the right ones. Barry calls Gary and orders him to find the guns. Gary calls Nick the Greek, but Nick tells him that the guns are already sold and can't be returned. Gary and Dean, frightened of Barry, decide to retrieve the guns on their own.

Dog and his gang, as planned, carry out the raid at the laboratory. By a series of coincidences all of the 'botanicals' survive. The raid is successful and the gang returns home with the money and drugs, only to find Eddie and his friends (all wearing masks) waiting for them. They take all the loot and leave. Dropping it at Eddie's flat, the friends go out to celebrate.

Meanwhile, Dog is beside himself with fury. In anger he throws Plank against the wall; unexpectedly the wall breaks down, to reveal Eddie's apartment and numerous microphones that were used to overhear Dog's plans. Having recovered the money and most of the marijuana, Dog sets an ambush in Eddie's flat.

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