Line #28 Creator/GuyRitchie


1	[[quoteright:269:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/guy-thumb-270x351_4690.jpg]]
2	->''"Guy Ritchie is the flesh and blood incarnation of the word '''BLOKE'''."''
3	-->-- '''Kyle Kahlgren''', ''WebVideo/BrowsHeldHigh'' review of ''Film/Revolver2005''
4
5	Guy Stuart Ritchie (born September 10, 1968 in Hatfield, England) is a British film director and screenwriter.
6
7	His first film, ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' was a low-budget, humorous crime caper about the [[LondonGangster London underworld]]. It was an indie success and critical darling for its fresh, vibrant style.
8
9	He followed up with ''Film/{{Snatch}}'', which was an even bigger success, though some critics complained that he was rehashing his previous film too much. Next, he made ''Film/SweptAway'', a remake of a controversial 1970s Italian film, starring his then-wife Music/{{Madonna}}.
10
11	''Swept Away'' was savaged by critics, and bombed at the box office. When he returned to familiar territory with the crime caper ''Film/Revolver2005'', he tried to mix things up with an EvilPlan and an {{Anvilicious}} {{Aesop}}. The film was so poorly received that it didn't even see wide release in America.
12
13	Ritchie then made ''Film/RocknRolla'' in an obvious attempt to recapture the violent and irreverent underworld hijinks of his first two films. It was received better than ''Revolver'', but wasn't really a success. He seemed to be approaching the nadir, but his adaptation of ''Film/{{Sherlock Holmes\|2009}}'' appears to have [[CareerResurrection revived his fortunes]]; it received mostly positive reviews, and was successful at the box office, grossing more than all of his previous films combined. The sequel, ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'' was equally successful. He also produced the TV series ''Series/{{SWAG}}''.
14
15	In 2019, after [[Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015 two]] [[Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword consecutive]] box-office bombs, he rebounded with, [[PlayingAgainstType of all things]], the [[Film/Aladdin2019 live-action remake]] of ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}'', which has become the biggest hit of his career. In 2020, he returned to crime comedy with ''Film/TheGentlemen'', and has since reunited with his former leading man Creator/JasonStatham on two further films.
16
17	He was married to Music/{{Madonna}} from 2000 to 2008. He then married actress Jacqui Ainsley in 2015.
18	----
19	!!Filmography:
20	[[index]]
21	* ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' (1998)
22	* ''Film/{{Snatch}}'' (2000)
23	* ''Film/MeanMachine'', the British remake of ''Film/TheLongestYard'' (2001) (producer only)
24	* ''Film/SweptAway'' (2002)
25	* ''Film/{{Revolver\|2005}}'' (2005)
26	* ''Film/RocknRolla'' (2008)
27	* ''Film/{{Sherlock Holmes\|2009}}'' (2009)
28	* ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' (2011)
29	* ''[[Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015 The Man From U.N.C.L.E.]]'' (2015)
30	* ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (2017)
31	* ''Film/{{Aladdin\|2019}}'' (2019)
32	* ''Film/TheGentlemen'' (2019[[note]]wide release in January 2020[[/note]])
33	* ''Film/WrathOfMan'' (2021)
34	* ''Film/OperationFortuneRuseDeGuerre'' (2023)
35	* ''Film/{{The Covenant\|2023}}'' (2023)
36	* ''Film/TheMinistryOfUngentlemanlyWarfare'' (2024)
37	[[/index]]
38
39	!!Tropes associated with Guy Ritchie
40	* AuthorAppeal: He's a lifelong martial artist with black belts in Shotokan Karate, Judo and UsefulNotes/BrazilianJiuJitsu and his films often have impressive fight scenes with realistic moves taken from said arts.
41	* CareerResurrection: Twice.
42	** It's generally agreed that the ''Film/{{Sherlock Holmes\|2009}}'' [[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows movies]] brought him back to prominence as a director the first time around.
43	** The second time around, it was the two-time combination of ''Film/Aladdin2019'', which became his highest-grossing release, and ''Film/TheGentlemen'', which won back fans and critics who praised his return to his crime comedy roots.
44	* ClusterFBomb: His films are known for being ''very'' profane and having lots of bad language.
45	* CreatorKiller: The back-to-back failures of ''Film/SweptAway'' and ''Film/Revolver2005'' came very close to tanking his career, though fortunately he was able to recover thanks to ''Film/{{RockNRolla}}'' and the ''Film/SherlockHolmes'' films.
46	* DeadpanSnarker: This is the usual style of humor in his films, particularly when he's working with Creator/JasonStatham. If characters aren't pummelling each other with their fists, they'll be [[SnarkToSnarkCombat battling with barbed comments.]] Or possibly a combination of the two.
47	* DirectToVideo: ''Film/WrathOfMan'' and all of his subsequent films have had a limited theatrical release in the USA and went straight to streaming in the rest of the world.
48	* LondonGangster: Many examples have featured in his films.
49	* MacGuffin: His films tend to feature good examples — standard formula is several factions of gangsters colliding as they try to get their hands on... something. ''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'' has two antique guns and a stash of weed; ''Snatch.'' has a giant diamond; and ''Rock N Rolla'' had a painting.
50	* OnceMoreWithClarity: Expect plenty of these, with fast-paced crosscuts and/or slow motion.
51	* {{Overcrank}}: The man really loves his slow motion. The only director more famous than him for using it is perhaps Creator/ZackSnyder.
52	* PlayingAgainstType:
53	** His [[Film/SherlockHolmes2009 first]] [[Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows two]] ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' films, which delved into the MysteryFiction and {{Steampunk}} genres. [[DownplayedTrope Although]], they are also shot in his [[{{Overcrank}} signature]] [[OnceMoreWithClarity style]].
54	** Another pair of {{Downplayed}} examples with ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015'' and ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword''. While delving into the SpyFiction and SwordAndSorcery genres, respectively, they are both shot in his signature style much like his ''Sherlock Holmes'' films.
55	** Played straight with ''Film/Aladdin2019'', a PG-rated Creator/{{Disney}} romantic musical fantasy that just also happens to be a [[Film/DisneyLiveActionRemakes live-action remake]] of [[WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}} the 1992 animated film of the same name]]. Interestingly enough, it proved to be his biggest commercial success.
56	** Also played straight with romantic comedy ''Film/SweptAway'', though unlike ''Aladdin'', it became his biggest failure both critically and commercially.
57	** Again played straight with ''Film/TheCovenant2023'', which, unlike other of his films, is a war thriller which features almost none of his usual actors and style.
58	* ProductionPosse: Ritchie has made several repeat collaborations over the course of his filmography:
59	** On the acting front, Creator/JasonStatham is Ritchie's main leading man, having appeared in 5 of his films (''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'', ''Snatch'', ''Revolver'', ''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'').
60	** Others include:
61	*** Creator/VinnieJones (''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'' and ''Snatch'')
62	*** Alan Ford (''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'' and ''Snatch'')
63	*** Tom Wu (''Revolver'', ''King Arthur: Legend of the Sword'' and ''The Gentlemen'')
64	*** Creator/EddieMarsan (''Sherlock Holmes'', ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'', ''The Gentlemen'', ''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
65	*** Creator/MarkStrong (''Revolver'', ''[=RocknRolla=]'' and ''Sherlock Holmes'')
66	*** Creator/JudeLaw (''Sherlock Holmes'', ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'' and ''King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword'')
67	*** Creator/JaredHarris (''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'' and ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'')
68	*** Creator/HughGrant (''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', ''The Gentlemen'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
69	*** Creator/HenryCavill (''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' and ''The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare'')
70	*** Creator/CharlieHunnam (''King Arthur'' and ''The Gentlemen'')
71	*** Creator/HenryGolding (''The Gentlemen'' and ''The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare'')
72	*** Creator/JoshHartnett (''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
73	*** Bugzy Malone (''The Gentlemen'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
74	*** Creator/CaryElwes (''Operation Fortune'' and ''The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare'')
75	** Creator/MatthewVaughn produced Ritchie's first three films, while producer Lionel Wigram worked on the two ''Franchise/SherlockHolmes'' films, ''Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015'' and ''Film/KingArthurLegendOfTheSword'' (as well as co-writing the latter two films and the story of the first ''Holmes'' film), and Ivan Atkinson (who was Ritchie's assistant on ''Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows'' and ''[[Film/TheManFromUNCLE2015 The Man From UNCLE]]'') has served as Ritchie's primary producer and co-writer starting with ''The Gentlemen''.
76	** Cinematography wise:
77	*** Tim Maurice-Jones (''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'', ''Snatch'' and ''Revolver'')
78	*** Philippe Rousselot (the ''Sherlock Holmes'' films)
79	*** John Mathieson (''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' and ''King Arthur'')
80	*** Alan Stewart (''Aladdin'', ''The Gentlemen'', ''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
81	** In terms of editing, James Herbert (''Revolver'', ''[=RocknRolla=]'', ''Sherlock Holmes'', ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'', ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', ''King Arthur'', ''Aladdin'', ''The Gentlemen'', ''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
82	** In regards to music:
83	*** John Murphy (''Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels'' and ''Snatch'')
84	*** Music/HansZimmer (''Sherlock Holmes'' and ''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows'')
85	*** Music/DanielPemberton (''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' and ''King Arthur: Legend of the Sword'')
86	*** Christopher Benstead (''The Gentlemen'', ''Wrath of Man'' and ''Operation Fortune'')
87	* SirSwearsALot: Characters in Ritchie's films tend to be very swear happy. By all accounts, he's got quite the sailor's mouth himself as well.
88	* SnarkToSnarkCombat: It wouldn't be a Guy Ritchie movie without characters sassing the crap out of each other, usually with more than a few [[ClusterFBomb four letter words]]. Extra points if heavy English accents are involved.
89	* WeakBossStrongUnderlings: Ritchie seems particularly fond of this trope.
90	** In ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'', Harry has Big Chris and Barry the Baptist at his disposal (but Harry's not above getting physical himself, even if the only weapon available is a 15-inch black rubber sex toy)
91	** ''{{Film/Snatch}}'' features this quite a lot; Bricktop has his thugs (most prominently John and Errol), Turkish and Tommy used Gorgeous George for that purpose, Doug The Head hires Bullet-Tooth Tony both for this and for his abilities to find someone, and Avi has Rosebud.

Context Creator / GuyRitchie