The Gentlemen Movie Review
I’ve been a fan of Guy Ritchie’s movies since Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998). When The Gentlemen came out I was excited because of its all star cast, but I was also interested to see the latest from Ritchie since I had passed on Aladdin (have I mentioned I do not like Disney’s live action remakes? I’ll save that rant for another time).
I’ll start by saying that The Gentlemen oozes Ritchie’s style from every crevice of the movie. So if you don’t like Ritchie’s stylistic approach, you will most definitely not like this. Even as a general fan of Ritchie’s work I found the first fifteen minutes of the movie difficult to sit through. It begins with journalist Fletcher (Hugh Grant) invading Ray’s (Charlie Hunnam) home and bombarding him with a story. The story is, of course, the plot of the movie. Fletcher acts as the narrator for the first fifteen minutes, introducing us to the major players as well as setting the stage for the movie. The plot gets a bit convoluted but here’s the general gist. Michael (Matthew McConaughey) has a large marijuana empire in London that he is attempting to sell to Matthew (Jeremy Strong). A competitor, Dry Eye (Henry Golding), causes complications for the deal. This is an extreme oversimplification of a fast-paced and complex plot with a plethora of characters.
As per usual with Ritchie’s films, the acting is stellar. The runaway favorite for me was Hugh Grant as the bombastic journalist trying to get a big pay day. It’s Hugh Grant as I’d never seen him before. He dons a different British accent, has facial hair, and wears ridiculously large sunglasses in most scenes. The casting, costuming, and performance were absolutely perfect.
Another stand out for me was Michelly Dockery who plays Michael’s wife, Rosalind. She adopted a Cockney accent and dropped f-bombs left and right. Dockery in this type of role is exactly the stuff I’m looking for. Those used to seeing her as Lady Mary in Downton Abbey will be stunned by her acting range. I sincerely hope she takes more roles like this that showcase how brilliant she is, even in smaller roles. The other performance I loved was Colin Farrell as Coach, who runs a boxing training center. Farrell is absolutely hilarious showcasing his traditional flair for turning one-liners into snort-inducing moments for viewers.
Was this Guy Ritchie’s best? No. It actually falls somewhere in the middle for me in terms of Ritchie’s canon of work. The plot felt a bit too much, and at times it felt like Ritchie was trying to be a tad too clever and got lost in the weeds. When the story actually works however, it succeeds with Ritchie’s usual brand of comedy. There were flashes of Ritchie’s brilliance in several scenes that had me guffawing in my living room (a scene involving a pig is one that comes to mind). I certainly enjoyed myself as I watched the story unfold. If you can make it past the first fifteen minutes – you have to trust me, it gets better after that – then you’re in for a fun ride with an eccentric cast of characters who will entertain you for two hours.
Film or Movie: Movie
You’ll like this movie if:
1. You’re a fan of Guy Ritchie’s style
2. You don’t mind crude language and violence
3. You like fast-paced narratives with many moving parts
