Tag: Hugh Grant

Movie Review – ‘The Gentlemen’ – Strong, Smooth, and Sweet

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: ★★★★☆

Twofer Movie Review: ‘Cop Car’ and ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ – Watch Your Back

Whereas last week I was doing all I could to help a movie fail, this week I am here to sing the praises of two movies that could use some assistance; one small, and one big.  Being negative might sell better, but I still like to be as positive as I can, and these films deserve my support (and yours).

Cop Car
Cop Car

Directed by Jon Watts
Written by Jon Watts and Christopher Ford
Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim
Soundtrack: Phil Mossman

It took me a little while to warm up to Cop Car.

Mostly because I’m not usually a fan of kids in movies, and the first scene in this movie is two kids walking across a field listing every bad word they can think of, but, much like adjusting to the temperature of a cool body of water, in due time, I had a very worthwhile experience.

Cop Car is the story of two young boys (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) who run away from broken homes and find a a seemingly abandoned cop car.  Being the innocents they are, they decide to claim it and take it for a joyride.  Unfortunately, the vehicle belongs to one Sheriff Kretzer (Kevin Bacon), who is, shall we say, quite tainted, meaning the boys get into far more trouble than they could have imagined.

That’s it.  That’s pretty much the whole movie right there.

Fortunately, for the audience, the film’s runtime is a crisp 86 minutes, which means that Cop Car does not overstay its welcome.  With respect to Alamo Drafthouse head man Tim League, I would not call Cop Car a “perfect movie”, but the filmmakers definitely got a lot of bang for their buck (nobody seems to know or be willing to say what the budget was, but I’m guessing five figures isn’t out of the question).

What’s most appealing about Cop Car is that, outside of the Sheriff’s flip phone (which actually is pretty central to the plot), the movie has a very timeless quality about it.  In many ways it feels like a throwback to the 80s (Stand By Me et al.).  The boys display a level of innocence that doesn’t really make sense in 2015, but within the context of the film it works just fine.

Another positive point is that despite being made on the cheap, the cinematography is gorgeous, and takes full advantage of the natural beauty of El Paso County, Colorado, where the movie was shot entirely.

Other than that, Kevin Bacon is his usual wonderful self as the clever villain, and does some great work without actually speaking.

The one negative most people will probably have to say about Cop Car is in regards to the ending, and I didn’t have a great reaction to it myself, but as Kevin Bacon said in a Q&A, this isn’t a exactly a story you can button up nicely, so I’m ultimately accepting of it.

Again, I wouldn’t call it a perfect movie, but Cop Car is definitely worth a watch.

If it’s not playing at a theater near you, check your VOD service, as it might be there.

Rating: ★★★½

 

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
UNCLE

Directed by Guy Ritchie
Written by Guy Ritchie (story and screenplay), Lionel Wigram, (story and screenplay, Jeff Kleeman (story), and David C. Wilson (story), based on the television series by Sam Rolfe
Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, Hugh Grant, Jared Harris, Sylvester Groth, Christian Berkel
Soundtrack: Daniel Pemberton

It’s been a great year for action-espionage movies.

So far, we’ve had Kingsman, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, this movie, and in November we get more James Bond.  Awesome!

Apparently a lot of critics are saying that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. lacks substance, and, you know what?  I don’t necessarily disagree, but I’ll also say that it doesn’t really matter.

This may sound like an insult to some, but I say it with pure love, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. might be the closest we ever get to a live-action Archer movie.  Not that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is that crass, but it is chock-full of one-liners, 60s chic, and good old-fashioned Cold War hijinks.  In fact, you could argue that in this case, the heavy application of style more than makes up for any lack of substance.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is partially written and fully directed by Guy Ritchie, who I’m guessing was a big enough fan of the TV show to want to make this his baby.  Anyone who’s seen his recent Sherlock Holmes movies will find some familiar elements, but, story-wise, it’s not nearly as intricate as his first works (Lock, Stock… and Snatch), and I’m okay with that, because I find those a bit overwhelming, to be honest.

In terms of performances, Henry Cavill is smooth and unflappable, Armie Hammer is big and burly, Alicia Vikander is equal parts meek and tough, and Hugh Grant is charming Hugh Grant (I really, really love him in this movie).

I have four criticisms:

1. This is a period piece obviously shot digitally; I hate that.
2. It gets a little confusing during a sequence towards the end in terms of what the stakes are specifically in the moment (and also shakycam; I hate that).
3. There’s some use of Holocaust-related imagery which is a little uncomfortable in a movie with this kind of tone (then again, X-Men: First Class opens in a concentration camp, and I was fine with that).
4. Jared Harris’s American accent is a little wonky, and a bit of the dialogue in general is hard to make out at times.

Other than that, I really have nothing bad to say about The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

It’s fun, it’s sleak, it’s charming, and did I mention it’s a whole lot of fun?  One of the best summer movies of the summer, hands down.

Too bad there isn’t enough American star power to draw people in, because I really want to see a sequel.

Go see The Man From U.N.C.L.E. at your local moviehouse!

Rating: ★★★★☆