Part of 1999

Streetwise charmer Eddie (Nick Moran) enters the biggest card game of his life with the savings of his three best friends: Tom (Jason Flemyng), Bacon (Jason Statham in his feature film debut) and Soap (Dexter Fletcher). But he leaves the table owing his underworld boss Hatchet Harry half a million — and has a week to come up with the money. Now Eddie and his friends must outsmart and outgun all types of lowlifes on their way to pay off Harry before time runs out.

Imbued with slick music video aesthetics, needle drops out the wazoo, and fledgling director Guy Ritchie’s signature brand of jet black humor, this mile-a-minute gangster movie made a huge splash when it landed on our shores in 1999 after its ‘98 UK release. A career and star-making marvel of a film, LOCK, STOCK single-handedly breathed new life into the British crime genre — while inspiring a generation of young filmmakers who saw what you could do with a relatively small budget, your pals, some squibs, and a clever story.

“Once you sort out the main characters and the plot kicks into action, it becomes clear that under the shameless MTV pyrotechnics lies a structure as intricately crafted as a Feydeau farce. Guy Ritchie has a giddy gift for storytelling.” —David Ansen, Newsweek

“It roars and ignites and hits the ground running.” —Rex Reed, New York Observer

“Ritchie orchestrates the plots and anti-plots with the delight of a sadistic child; by the end of this film, his career shows signs of smoking.” —Boston Phoenix