Guy Ritchie is arguably one of the most famous British directors of all time with one of the most recognizable filmmaking styles in modern cinema. Undoubtedly, his films are rich with interesting characters and engaging plotlines that keep the viewers watching.
But what really stays in the mind of the audience are the many witty lines spoken by the characters in Ritchie's movies. Some of them are just jokes while others have a deeper meaning that can only be uncovered once one thinks about them for a moment or two.
This hilarious interaction is one of the many that happen in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. where a Soviet and an American agent have to work together during the Cold War.
In the beginning, they are both tasked to get Gaby for their respective bosses and are actually against each other. During the chase that ensues, both realize each other's abilities but won't admit to it fully out loud.
Though the more popular modern adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works may be BBC's Sherlock, Guy Ritchie's two Sherlock Holmes movies with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have garnered their own attention and have their fans.
In the second movie, the main villain is none other than the infamous James Moriarty. Sherlock has several interactions with him and on one occasion admits to the way he admires Moriarty's abilities.
Ritchie's recent The Gentlemen has been praised as a successful return to the director's origins: the movie is full of well-dressed gangsters, witty remarks that create tension, and unexpected bursts of violence that are still meaningful to the plot.
One of such scenes is when the cannabis baron Mickey Pearson (played by Matthew McConaughey) refuses to sell his business to a Chinese gangster who sent his henchmen to make the proposition.
One thing that Guy Ritchie has been consistently known for is his wicked sense of humor which is still uniquely British in many ways. Even his earlier works like the acclaimed Snatch feature multiple jokes sprinkled about.
Though the jokes are usually tightly woven into the rapid-fire lines delivered by various characters, there is one particular instance when the joke is quite obvious and is very relatable. Sausage Charlie is making sausages and Turkish is surprised they aren't ready even though they were promised a few minutes ago.
Just like in BBC's show, the castings in Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes movies are excellent and the actors fit their roles perfectly. This allows numerous powerful interactions to play out, especially between the two title characters.
Holmes and Watson have the kind of chemistry a duo like them should have. For example, Watson's response to punch Holmes after his true but somewhat inconsiderate remark rightly illustrates their dynamic.
Apart from humor, Ritchie's movies are also easily remembered for their characters. Some of them are played by famous actors while others aren't as well-known, but all of them get some time to shine.
Perhaps one of the things that help them be remembered is that some of them are stupid to an extent, while others are smart... also, to an extent. It's a matter of who outsmarts whom and this is wisely noted by Bullet Tooth Tony in Snatch.
As mentioned earlier, the characters in The Gentlemen were all very well-dressed, but that is not the only instance when Ritchie's characters looked good.
In fact, all of his movies are very stylish in many ways. In The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Ilya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo even get to style Gaby and discuss fashion in the process. Turns out, they clearly have taste, even though their main job is espionage and killing people if necessary.
Sherlock Holmes has been adapted numerous times throughout history, but the biggest issue with most of its adaptations (and book to movie adaptations as a whole) is that the characters' thoughts can't always be transferred to the screen properly.
This can result in some awkwardness and inconsistencies, but Ritchie's Holmes takes time to explain his process of thinking. Throughout the movies, the audience is shown all the clues that they can piece together just like Holmes does, and the detective notes as much when explaining his method to Watson.
Though some of Ritchie's characters may sometimes seem over-the-top, they are meant to be "bigger" than the people you would expect to meet in real life. After all, movies are meant to have an impression on the audience.
But what's even more interesting is that some of these characters seem to be aware of this aspect of their personalities. Brick Top from Snatch, for example, sees himself as retribution... even though retribution soon gets to him.
More than being very violent and funny, more than having interesting characters and engaging storytelling, more than having a dynamic visual style, more than anything else, Guy Ritchie's movies are British.
And Ritchie seems to be proud of this and makes his characters proud of being British which gives his works a special kind of charm. And the British love tea which is what Eddie from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels wants to have before he does anything.
