(L to R) Lucien Laviscount as Billy Ayres, Luke Pasqualino as Albert Hill, Phoebe Dynevor as Lotti Mott,
and Rupert Grint as Charlie Cavendish-Scott in “Snatch,” premiering March 16 on Crackle. (MATT
SQUIRE/CRACKLE)
The movie Snatch, is a Guy Ritchie film that is near and dear to my heart. It’s probably one of my favorite films of all time. When I heard that there would be a series loosely based on it, I just had to check it out. The show boasts a slew big time British talent including the likes of Rupert Grint and Dougray Scott, so one would hope that it’s at least somewhat good.
Episode 1 – “All that Glitters”
We follow the crew of Albert, Charlie and Billie as they tumble down the rabbit hole of what is the London criminal underworld. Albert’s father Vic is a career criminal, so it’s apparent the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree. With so many nods to the original film, the episode sometimes feels like it’s trying a little too hard to play on the nostalgia. We catch a glimpse of everything from mob bosses and boxing matches to Jewish jewelry brokers and bad bets. Pretty much a chunk of what made the film so good.
The dynamic between Charlie, Billie and Albie are very similar to groups in 2 of Guy Ritchie’s other films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and the Wild Bunch from RocknRolla. Things do get interesting when Lotti Mott, somewhat girlfriend to mob boss Sonny Castillo, enlists the boys to help pull a heist on Sonny that seemed a bit too easy on paper. What ensues after is actual hilarity that really makes it feel like it did the film some justice after all.
Barring the nostalgia-ish bits, the episode can be a bit convoluted and all over the place. That doesn’t mean to say it’s a bad thing, as this is sort of necessary to lay the groundwork for the remainder of the series.
Episode 2 – “Badda Bling”
In this episode, the show is starting to feel a bit more cohesive but at the same time, weaving and connecting the multiple storylines into an intricate yet intriguing web. The characters are really starting to come into their own as well. You see this with Albie’s attempts to not only please his father, but move out of his shadow to become his own man, as well as Charlie trying to make a way for himself and not playing into the family wealth…at least not entirely.
We see a few flashbacks with Vic and Bob Fink that literally leave you saying “oh shit!” Combine that with the budding plot between Saul Gold, the boys, Sonny and you guessed it, diamonds, and you have yourself the makings of a great episode. Albie and crew seem to be left at a junction of dismay and wondering what exactly is the next step as they get pulled deeper into the pit they’ve created.
After watching this episode, I was really salivating for more, as I want to see what happens next. I may have been apprehensive at first, as any fan would be towards something they love, but I can honestly say this show is pretty dam good so far. If you’re looking for a show that isn’t another crime drama, superhero, sitcom, or even medical drama, etc., this is the show to watch.
Snatch becomes available on March 16th for stream on Crackle.
4 out of 5 Atoms
from Nerd Reactor
0 comments: