Directed by Guy Ritchie
Written by Guy Ritchie (story and screenplay) and Ivan Atkinson (story) & Marn Davies (story)
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, Chidi Ajufo, Jason Wong, Brittany Ashworth, Samuel West, Eliot Sumner, Lyne Renée, Chris Evangelou, Franz Drameh, Bugzy Malone, Tom Wu
Soundtrack: Christopher Benstead
I like Guy Ritchie. I wouldn’t say that I love him, but his movies are, if nothing else, usually interesting.
He certainly has a style that he’s known for, and, not unlike Shane Black, you could suppose that he’s spent much of his career trying to get a particular idea right, from Lock, Stock…, to Snatch, to RocknRolla (all three of which are entertaining in their own right), to our present subject, The Gentlemen.
Now, I don’t want to over-hype it too much, because it is a matter of personal taste, but Ritchie’s latest effort might just be my personal favorite of his whole output: partially because I think The Gentlemen, particularly in its visual style, is the most mature of Ritchie’s gangster films; but also because, especially in the time we currently live, it’s just so refreshing to have an original movie for adult audiences that is fun.
Which isn’t to say that The Gentlemen is some sort of light and airy romp. I wouldn’t even call it particularly action-packed, but it strikes a sweet balance of serious stakes and roguish humor, punctuated by down-to-earth and motivated set-pieces (that you can actually make out what’s happening!). In some ways, The Gentlemen feels like a throwback with how relatively restrained it is, but the story and setting help keep it fresh and contemporary, without being overbearing in its style.
Now, of course, given that we’re talking about a Guy Ritchie gangster movie, there is a fantastic ensemble cast, and everybody looks like they’re having a great time: McConaughey is exactly what you expect in the lead, just with a villainous tinge; Charlie Hunnam is wonderfully understated; Michelle Dockery gets to shed her posh Downton demeanor and roll around in some Cockney; and Colin Farrell gives his best performance perhaps since The Lobster.
Did I leave anyone out?
Oh, yes.
Hugh Grant.
If he was the cherry on the sundae in The Man From U.N.C.L.E., then Hugh Grant is at least two scoops of ice cream in The Gentlemen. If I ever had a smile on my face during the movie, the vast majority of the time it was because of him, and even though I have no authority to say this, I’m going to go ahead and say it’s the best performance of his career. I don’t even want to know what the movie would be without him.
So, there you have it. The Gentlemen probably deserves better than to be dumped in the low tide of January releases (I’m a little surprised it wasn’t slotted into Valentine’s weekend, a la Kingsman 1, Deadpool 1, and John Wick 2), but, I’m happy it’s here.
Rating: ★★★★☆