INT. GUY RITCHIE AT HIS MOST GUY RITCHIE - DAY
The Gentlemen is a fun, thrilling and mostly enjoyable 2 hours but, it isn’t without its flaws. After all, it is a Guy Ritchie film. The Gentlemen is a current-day view at British gangsters funnily enough run by an American marijuana kingpin, wow, twisty. Let’s start at the beginning, where most of his films are the weakest. In true Ritchie style, it’s a mess because of the non-linear style.
We don’t necessarily start at the end or in the middle. What we are treated to is Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Grant bantering and narrating the story but mainly Grant flirting with Hunnam. These two are the main source of context in the film. They explain what’s happening while Grant acts as a slight antagonist, however, the line is blurred between the good and the bad at times.
While this is happening Grant tells the story. In fact, he’s written it as a script and if Charlie doesn’t buy the script off him, he’s gonna sell off the story to Miramax. Yes, Miramax the company making the movie, maybe I forgot to say this film is slightly meta.
We follow the story along learning that the big boss Matthew McConaughey wants out. He’s built himself an empire from nothing and now he wants to just live a normal life. This news gains the interest of a number of different rival gangs, after all, he’s the biggest drug lord and marijuana is popping, so everyone wants a piece.
Matthew McConaughey’s character is similar to Daniel Craig’s character in ‘Knives Out’. However, instead of putting on the accent, Matthew can just use his natural one and it’s already out of place. His accent throws you off at the start but quickly becomes one of the best components of the film, until Colin Farrel enters the film. So you probably don’t know yet, but there’s a little soft spot in my heart for Colin Farrell. When I say little I mean like my whole heart. Especially when he’s also using his normal accent, it gives me In Bruges memories.
Each character seems to be an archetype; Colin Farrell’s Coach is a tough softie looking out for his kids, Hugh Grant’s Fletcher is a cocky and confident private investigator and, obviously, McConaughey’s Mickey Pearson is the cool, calm and collective drug lord who’s always two steps ahead. While I’m not usually a fan of characters I’ve seen before, this film has such a complex plot, that it would be too difficult for this twisty story to involve twisty characters so this seemed like a necessary evil.
Looking at The Gentlemen’s filmmaking techniques, it does use a variety of visual cues but again, it’s Guy Ritchie we’re talking about here. The fast and witty script combined with Ritchie’s visual humor style, keeps the audience entertained even during monologues and exposition. It’s the reminders from Fletcher (Hugh Grant) that the whole story hasn’t actually been told yet and that he’s holding it back that entices you. Ritchie wants you to guess and then when you think you know, he pulls the rug from under you. It’s Michelle Dockey’s character Rosalind Pearson, Mickey’s wife, who puts it perfectly: “There’s fuckery afoot.”
Without getting too much into spoiler territory, the ending is satisfying. Ritchie brings it all together with very little loose ends. It’s not until the last 20 minutes that the confusion stops and you can get a full grasp of everything. I think that this film would have been better when told in order, yet I don’t think anyone else could have pulled off this screenplay than the guy himself, Guy Ritchie, but, that is a benefit of also being the screenwriter and the director I guess. You can do what you want.
Should you see this film? If you like a crime mystery with a comedic thread holding it together, or if you just want 2 hours of Hugh Grant flirting with Charlie Hunnam, 2 hours of Matthew McConaughey being Matthew McConaughey supreme drug lord and Colin Farrell in a matching jumpsuit, go see this movie.
FADE OUT
★★★☆☆
Swiss Release Date: 27.02.2020
Australian Release Date: 01.01.2020
Film Data: Director: Guy Ritchie - Writers: Guy Ritchie, Marn Davies, Ivan Atkinson - Cast Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Strong, Brittany Ashworth, Jason Wong - USA - 102’ - Miramax
-
Ewan
Graf
- May 25, 2023 ASTEROID CITY - Review by Ewan Graf May 25, 2023
- May 25, 2023 FALLEN LEAVES - Review by Ewan Graf May 25, 2023
- May 25, 2023 THE ZONE OF INTEREST - Review by Ewan Graf May 25, 2023
- May 25, 2023 KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 25, 2023
- May 24, 2023 CLUB ZERO - Review by Ewan Graf May 24, 2023
- May 24, 2023 FIREBRAND - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 24, 2023
- May 23, 2023 ANATOMY OF A FALL - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 23, 2023
- May 23, 2023 BANEL & ADAMA - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 23, 2023
- May 23, 2023 MAY DECEMBER - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 23, 2023
- May 22, 2023 STRANGE WAY OF LIFE - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 ONLY THE RIVER FLOWS - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 HOW TO HAVE SEX - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 THE ZONE OF INTEREST - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY - Review by Ewan Graf May 22, 2023
- May 22, 2023 INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY - Review by Ewan Graf May 22, 2023
- May 18, 2023 OCCUPIED CITY - Review by Ewan Graf May 18, 2023
- May 18, 2023 MONSTER - Review by Ewan Graf May 18, 2023
- May 18, 2023 LE RETOUR (Homecoming) - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 18, 2023
- May 18, 2023 OCCUPIED CITY - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 18, 2023
- May 18, 2023 MONSTER - Review by Lachlan Thiele May 18, 2023
- Jan 21, 2022 La Guerra Civil (2022) - Sundance Jan 21, 2022
- Dec 30, 2021 Belfast (2021) Dec 30, 2021
- Dec 16, 2021 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Dec 16, 2021
- Dec 11, 2021 The Unforgivable (2021) Dec 11, 2021
- Dec 11, 2021 The Humans (2021) Dec 11, 2021
- Jul 28, 2021 The Green Knight (2021) - Quiet On Set Podcast Review Jul 28, 2021
- Feb 25, 2021 Cherry (2021) - Avenger vs Opioids Feb 25, 2021
- Feb 8, 2021 CODA (2021) - The Big Winner of the Sundance Film Festival 2021 Feb 8, 2021
- Feb 7, 2021 Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Feb 7, 2021
- Feb 5, 2021 Duel - 52 Years of 52 Weeks Feb 5, 2021
- Jan 13, 2021 The Aristocats - 52 Years in 52 Weeks Jan 13, 2021
- Jan 4, 2021 So I watched every movie in 2020... Jan 4, 2021
- Jul 29, 2020 Unhinged Jul 29, 2020
- Mar 10, 2020 Onward Mar 10, 2020
- Mar 5, 2020 Mare Mar 5, 2020
- Feb 26, 2020 Just Mercy Feb 26, 2020
- Feb 18, 2020 The Peanut Butter Falcon Feb 18, 2020
- Feb 17, 2020 Platzspitzbaby - (Needle Park Baby) Feb 17, 2020
- Feb 7, 2020 Horse Girl Feb 7, 2020
- Feb 6, 2020 Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) Feb 6, 2020
- Feb 5, 2020 2019 was the best cinematic year of the decade, change my mind Feb 5, 2020
- Feb 5, 2020 Dolitte Does Little For Me Feb 5, 2020
-
Kally
Künnap
- Mar 17, 2020 Dystopian Movies & Series to Binge on Whilst Quarantined Mar 17, 2020
- Feb 25, 2020 Queen & Slim Feb 25, 2020
- Feb 14, 2020 To All the Boys I've Loved Before: P.S. I Still Love You Feb 14, 2020
-
Lachlan
Thiele
- Jan 10, 2022 The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021) Jan 10, 2022
- Oct 17, 2021 Halloween Kills Oct 17, 2021
- Sep 12, 2021 The Green Knight is the best film of 2021 Sep 12, 2021
- Jul 28, 2021 Pig (2021) Jul 28, 2021
- Feb 29, 2020 Sonic The Hedgehog Feb 29, 2020
- Feb 16, 2020 The Gentlemen Feb 16, 2020
-
Michelle
Bernet
- Mar 12, 2020 EMMA. Mar 12, 2020
- Mar 5, 2020 About Endlessness by Roy Andersson Mar 5, 2020
- Feb 18, 2020 Moskau Einfach! (One Way to Moscow) - English + German Review Feb 18, 2020