- Title: CANADA: Guy Ritchie shrugs off mixed reviews for his film "RocknRolla"
- Date: 11th September 2008
- Summary: TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (SEPTEMBER 04, 2008) (REUTERS) ELGIN THEATER "ROCKNROLLA" RED CARPET DIRECTOR GUY RITCHIE ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) GUY RITCHIE, "ROCKNROLLA DIRECTOR" SAYING: "This movie is in the same genre as "Snatch." We like to think that it's moved on from that particular thing. In this movie, really London is the star, and that was the tapestry and gave me all the characters that I put on that tapestry. But as I say, it was a movie that I wanted to make for myself; it's an indulgence for me. But it seems as though other people enjoy it and that makes me very happy." RITCHIE ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) GUY RITCHIE, "ROCKNROLLA DIRECTOR" SAYING: "They haven't been mixed! What's wrong with you. They're all positive." ACTOR TOBY KEBBELL ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOBY KEBBELL SAYING: "Heartthrob? Wow? People like malnourished men, huh? That's weird. Yeah, I'm ready for it if it comes. I mean, what does that do to you if you're a big heartthrob? What does that mean?" REPORTER SAYS: "Give Brad Pitt a run for his money?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOBY KEBBELL SAYING: "Yeah, that would be nice. He's a superb actor as well as a heartthrob. I mean, he's actually handsome. I just think people saw my abdominal and said, 'yeah, he's sexy.'" CHRIS "LUDACRIS" BRIDGES ON RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHRIS "LUDACRIS" BRIDGES SAYING: "I think he sets the standard for professionalism every time you come to the set. And with that being said, I've always tried to be professional, but he just knows exactly what he wants. And as actors, we do different takes, we do more than one take. But what you need to know about Guy Ritchie, you need to do the first two takes exactly as he wants you to do it, then after that you can kind of improv and do what you want to do, but he's very, very detailed." THANDIE NEWTON ON RED CARPET GERARD BUTLER ON RED CARPET
- Embargoed: 26th September 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Canada
- Country: Canada
- Reuters ID: LVA15YK34L0ZW1ILRK8V151Q57SU
- Story Text: Guy Ritchie's dark crime comedy, "RocknRolla," helped usher in the first day of the 33rd Annual Toronto Film Festival on Thursday (September 04). The movie, which premiered at the Elgin Theater, has received mixed reviews, but Ritchie gave his critics no second thought on the red carpet.
"RocknRolla" represents a return to the twist-and-turn crime thrillers that Ritchie made a career out of. The film follows the lives of various branches of the London underworld as they plan and plot against each other, and fight over real estate, art, and of course, cash.
"This movie is in the same genre as "Snatch." We like to think that it's moved on from that particular thing. In this movie, really London is the star, and that was the tapestry and gave me all the characters that I put on that tapestry. But as I say, it was a movie that I wanted to make for myself; it's an indulgence for me," said Ritchie.
But the film wasn't an indulgence for some critics: it received mixed reviews following its premiere in London. But Ritchie joked that that wasn't at all the case.
"They haven't been mixed! What's wrong with you. They're all positive."
Actor Toby Kebbell, who plays a drug addict in the film, walked the carpet and said that he's not quite sure how to handle the idea that he's being pegged as the latest heartthrob and possibly the next Brad Pitt.
"Yeah, that would be nice. He's a superb actor as well as a heartthrob. I mean, he's actually handsome. I just think people saw my abdominals and said, 'yeah, he's sexy,'" said Kebbell.
Grammy Award-winning rapper Chris "Ludacris" Bridges promoted his role in the film. The singer-turned-actor gave some advice about working with Ritchie. He said, "what you need to know about Guy Ritchie, you need to do the first two takes exactly as he wants you to do it, then after that you can kind of improv and do what you want to do, but he's very, very detailed."
Actors Gerard Butler and Thandie Newton also made appearances on the carpet, giving a little extra star power to the festivals launch night.
"RocknRolla" will hit theaters in North America in October - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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