The Gentlemen
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Rated: R
Alright, alright, alright. Everyone’s favorite Lincoln car salesman/ University of Texas professor, also known as Matthew McConaughey, is back on the big screen in The Gentlemen. I regret to inform you he is not visited by the ghosts of his girlfriends past in this Guy Ritchie mob flick. Instead, he plays marijuana mob boss, Mickey Pearson, who is looking to sell his company and start fresh for a calm life of retirement with his wife Rosalind (Michelle Dockery). Selling a drug empire is no simple task, and Mickey finds himself caught up in a cast of crazy characters.
What a cast The Gentlemen boasts! This is certainly what I’d called a star-studded film. It seems that every 10 minutes, a different famous British actor pops up for their moment to shine. (Except for Matthew McConaughey. He is one of the only American cast members. I was secretly hoping he would fake a British accent for the whole movie, but some dreams cannot come true.) Everyone from Hugh Grant, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, Michelle Dockery, and Henry Goulding are significant characters in The Gentlemen. While everything revolves around McConaghey’s Mickey, the majority of the story is seen through the lens of Mickey’s right-hand man Raymond (Charlie Hunnam), and a scheming private investigator named Fletcher (Hugh Grant). This is one of the best lead roles I’ve seen from Charlie Hunnam. He manages to stay calm, cool and collected in the most chaotic circumstances. Hugh Grant’s Fletcher is the complete opposite of Raymond, a humorous investigator who can’t seem to keep his mouth shut.
Matthew McConaughey and Charlie Hunnam as Mickey and Ray. Photo belongs to STX Entertainment
Side characters who stand out include Colin Farrell as “The Coach,” a plaid-tracksuit wearing trainer at a local gym who looks after a group of boys that frequently get into trouble. He tries to do what’s best for them but somehow finds himself wrapped up in gang activity throughout the film.
As someone who goes to see most movies Henry Goulding stars in, it was difficult to see him play the evil Dry Eye. It’s such a far cry from Crazy Rich Asians and Last Christmas. Instead of teaching people to ice skate and volunteer at shelters (as he typically does in movies), he resorts to violent mob activity. It just proves he’s a versatile actor. Although, I do prefer when he’s playing the good guy.
One questionable performance in the film is Jeremy Strong, as Matthew Berger, a buyer interested in Mickey’s company. Honestly, his character looks like Dana Carvey when he joins the “turtle club” in the Master of Disguise. I’m not even going to link the clip because if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you have to watch the whole movie right now. This role is so different from what I’m used to from Jeremy Strong (Succession, The Big Short), and unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. He made me laugh a few times, but it was a little too over-the-top.
Since there are so many characters, the film feels like it wanders a bit with its many storylines. It all comes together in the end in an entertaining way. However, after thinking about it for a while, I do think a few side-plots could have been condensed or cut out altogether to make the storyline flow more cohesively.
This is a Guy Ritchie gangster movie, so it probably doesn’t come as a shock to anyone that The Gentlemen earns its R-rating. The lead characters are all bad people dealing in drugs and violence. Since everyone we’re introduced to are morally corrupt people, the film itself is very violent, crass, and politically incorrect. If you are easily offended by these things, you should probably steer clear of seeing this. It’s a far cry from his last directorial effort, Aladdin. That was a bit more family-friendly!
One aspect I do admire throughout Ritchie’s films is the stylistic elements. Every detail from the music to the costumes to the overall tone is so specific. I love that every character has such a distinct look throughout all of his films. My favorite Guy Ritchie film The Man from U.N.C.L.E. has an excellent visual aesthetic. (It gets a little shoutout in this movie!) The Gentlemen has a very sharp aesthetic as well. From Colin Farell and his busy tracksuits to Matthew McConaughey's perfectly tailored look to Charlie Hunnam’s coats, everyone has a look, and they stick to it. The music is also a standout. Each song fits its scene brilliantly. From “In Every Dream Home There’s a Heartache,” which plays in a particularly creepy drug house to “That's Entertainment” as the film appropriately ends, Ritchie knows precisely where to put music to accompany a moment.
The Gentlemen is a crass and crazy tale of organized crime, but there’s no denying these gangsters will keep you entertained.
My Rating: 7/10