While a lot of the music-loving world still adheres to the
idea that Yoko Ono cost us one of the greatest bands to ever touch an
instrument, I subscribe to a similar but far less recognised notion. Namely,
that Madonna cost the art of cinema one of its potential legendary filmmakers.
Guy Ritchie, as has been discussed on this blog before, was responsible for one
of my all-time favourite films with Snatch. After that feature, and hooking up
with Madonna, Ritchie took one of the biggest stumbles of any filmmaker still
working today.
Between the star-vehicle-cum-wrong-headed remake of an Italian
classic with Swept Away, to the equally wrong-headed attempt to merge Ritchie’s
British crime sensibilities with the teachings of Kabbalah with Revolver, the
man found prominence in Hollywood from then on but he never managed to
recapture that flame he once had. However, even considering the story we have
today, it seems that he has indeed gotten back to his roots… in the single
weirdest way possible. Let’s get started with today’s film and I’ll explain
how.
