The Gentlemen Review
R: Violence, language throughout, sexual references and drug content Runtime: 1 Hr and 53 MinutesProduction Companies: MiramaxDistributor: STXfilms Director: Guy RitchieWriters: Guy RitchieCast: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, Hugh GrantRelease Date: January 24, 2020Let me start off by saying that for the past three years I’ve been really frustrated with Guy Ritchie. I still remember being brutally honest when I said, “Guy Ritchie is a one-trick pony” in my King Arthur review. That movie was a huge shitshow. Then, he signed on to helm Disney’s live-action Aladdin remake. Even when Aladdin (2019) was released, one of my major criticisms towards it was how it felt so misdirected by Ritchie because he was so reserved and tame with it. So, hearing about the release of a new original Guy Ritchie flick in January sounds like a recipe for disaster. And yet… I HAD FUN?! With a Guy Ritchie movie?! I haven't felt like this since I saw The Man From U.N.C.L.E. I know that was 5 years ago but it felt like AGES. Reader, I laughed. It’s January and shit, I am entertained to no avail.
An American drug lord in England is ready to settle down and sell his empire, but once word gets out, a bunch of his adversaries — everyone from gang leaders in China to Lords in the country he resides in — scheme together to sabotage him as all of the events are told and recollected by a detective blackmailing his right-hand assistant.
Did Guy Ritchie go on some sort of writer’s retreat between helming twiddle-dump (King Arthur) and twiddle-doo (Aladdin) ? I’m curious about his screenwriter’s care routine because The Gentlemen has Ritchie showcasing his glow as a filmmaker and screenwriter (to an extent) at his prime. The Gentlemen sees Ritchie incorporating all of the best qualities from his earlier (and more solid works) to deliver a contemporary crime caper with ‘90s sensibilities. It has the brash, edgy attitude of Snatch and RocknRolla mixed with the campy, playful, energetic tone present in Sherlock Holmes and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and delivers something rather inspired.
Regarding his vision, he thankfully avoids all of the signatures-turned-gimmicks he's known for, like the abundant amount of slow-motion to the whip pans, jump cuts, etc. Some of his known techniques are still present, but they're all done with an upbeat buoyancy that matches the tone and the quick pacing. He holds himself back from his schlocky Sherlock Holmes studio style and actually channels into some contemporary elements that perfectly fit the bizarre tone it establishes. I’ll be damned, this pony did learn some new tricks… or at least went back to the tricks we haven’t seen him use in a long time and made them feel fresh. There’s a moment where the film erupts into a Soundcloud rapper music video and not only is that funny in context, but it was also stylish in its own way. Even the way he layers the story is rather clever as it borrows from something like The Princess Bride where Charlie Hunnam is the Fred Savage to Hugh Grant’s Peter Falk, but in the framework of blackmail. Ritchie exercises all of his best traits while also being campy and playful with an incredible ensemble to match. It is too early in the year to be considering this cast for potential “Best Ensemble” awards but damn this ensemble rules. Just read the cast list. It’s stacked and everyone delivers fun, energetic performances with utmost charisma. Where was this kind of energy and life during Aladdin?! The major standouts to me were Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, and, surprisingly, Charlie Hunnam. Charlie Hunnam in ANOTHER Guy Ritchie movie as a major standout performer?
Charlie Hunnam, who I have never really been fond of as an actor (cc: King Arthur, Pacific Rim), really shines here as Mickey’s right-hand man Raymond who handles and protects Mickey’s empire. While he gets the shorter end of the stick ample times, you just see this reserved, intelligent dude lose his patience. Most of the highlight sequences involve Raymond. The story is structured around Raymond bantering with Fletcher, the blackmailing detective. Hell, all the best scenes involve Hunnam. There’s a scene where Farrell and Hunnam watch a video on a laptop that had me dying of laughter to the extent I started tearing up. Also, Hugh Grant! Are we living in a Grant renaissance period?! Ever since Florence Foster Jenkins, Hugh Grant has been an enjoyable — hell, lovable — performer. I’m still not over him not getting Best Supporting Actor for Paddington 2 because he was just that great. So much of this storytelling’s structure is laid heavy on Grant and his bantering with Hunnam and it works. The scenes they share are hysterical as Grant is having the time of his life being this slimy little shit and he just makes you burst into laughter. He’s like an English Howie Bling from Uncut Gems but with more flamboyancy.
As much as this is Ritchie revisiting his prime, channeling the best aspects from his earlier films, the tone exudes a major ‘90s vibe that features outdated sensibilities. The screenplay is clever, it has great lines of dialogue, and the delivery of the performers makes them even grander. That said, a lot of the writing is on a grade school level of childishness in regards to the bushes it often presses. Due to the major conflict taking place between Mickey and Chinese gangsters, a lot of offensive Chinese stereotypes are present and Ritchie doesn’t give a shit. I swear, this screenplay is incredibly anti-millennial in every way shape and form. While it’s often snarky with its sharp wit, it’s also pretty childish as it pushes and defends offensive humor and stereotypes. I’m talking jokes such as a Chinese man named “Phuc”. It’s supremely immature, but then he takes it a step further by addressing how not every racial insult needs to be viewed as “racist” as one of the characters deconstructs why a Black guy shouldn’t be offended when he’s called a “Black bastard”. Now, the joke itself is hilarious but given the amount of naughtiness he’s emphasizing all the way through, it still feels like it came from a mean-spirited place.
Guy Ritchie is, as of today, 51-years-old, which puts him in the Generation X category. I only say this because this movie exudes big X-er energy. Believe me when I say it’s anti-millennial or anti-Gen-Z, for the majority of the people who are represented in that age bracket are either assholes or they get brutally axed. So many people between 17 and… whatever age Henry Golding is, get their asses whooped and it all stems from young people calling the lead characters “old”. If this was something released in the ‘90s, it would’ve been a product of its time, but it’s 2020. The film incorporates modern technology into the story as well. Aforementioned, this turned into a Soundcloud rapper music video at one point. Ritchie knew what he was aiming for. Things like that annoy me, but then the childish idiot in me comes out because this is 100% my shit. Ritchie is the same age as my dad and I know deep down in my heart that he would love the fuck out of this movie and I would enjoy watching it with him. This is a dad movie in both style and tone and you know what? Let them have it. I had a blast and I’m still surprised about how much fun it provided. Here you go Guy Ritchie, you can have a positive rating, as a treat.Rating: 3.5/5 | 72%
