The Gentlemen Movie Review
Well, Matthew McConaughey is a Texan and it's established early in the film that he's from America. So he doesn't have to work on his accent. He plays a shrewd criminal who has friends among the British peerage and considers himself a gentleman. He grows weed and sells it, becoming Britain's uncrowned king of the business in the process. He's also a problem solver, taking care of the unsavoury things his genteel friends have fallen into. It's while taking care of one such detail that he lets the opposition find a grip on him and he has to assert all over again that he's still the king of the jungle despite wanting to be out of the game as he's tired of it all.
Ritchie is narrating the film as a film within a film. Hugh Grant plays an immoral scribe who is narrating the dope he has over McConaughey's character to his right-hand man Charlie Hunnam in order to blackmail them. So all kinds of false narratives can be implemented in the film, not to mention that the fourth wall also gets knocked down several times. The viewer is constantly being told that the things he's seeing may or may not be true. We are introduced to various funny situations and quirky people. Chief among them is a dapper gym instructor player by Colin Farrell. He trains a group of youngsters in hand to hand combat who use the skills to make fight porn videos and post them online. So be assured of some eclectic fight choreography right there. Farrell's inclusion offers another tasty twist to the narrative.
Guy Ritchie had the habit of making stars play characters and having fun with it. And that's the case here as well. You can see all these superstars feeding each other off, trying new voices, costumes, slang and having a glorious time out it all. The film has all the joviality of a men's locker room. Though its sole female lead Michelle Dockery, who plays Matthew McConaughey's wife has a crackling scene which is all her own alone.
Watch the film for some rollicking acting by the entire ensemble cast and Ritchie’s unique take on the British underworld. It may not be his best but it’s damn entertaining all the same...
Trailer : The Gentlemen
Ronak Kotecha, January 28, 2020, 6:36 PM IST
STORY: A powerful drug lord in London Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) is looking to sell his highly profitable Marijuana business. But before he strikes the deal, he has to deal with a sly blackmailer, dangerous business rivals and a prying tabloid editor. Everyone wants a piece of him.
REVIEW: From the very first scene ‘The Gentlemen’ grabs your interest and doesn’t let go. Thanks to a string of crafty gentlemen in crisp suits who are out to get each other but not in a crass gang-bang way. Most of them are them are classy and debonair, some sly and sharp, while some young and charming. And together they ensure there’s never a dull moment. Writer-director Guy Ritchie creates each of his characters with strong traits and a slight vulnerability that helps the audience connect with them.
Matthew McConaughey totally fits the bill as the brooding drug Mafioso, who in his own words is the “king of the jungle”. His deep baritone voice adds to the impact of his sharp dialogue delivery and smart demeanor. Ditto for his right-hand man Raymond played by British actor Charlie Hunnam. His calm and collected composure enhances his debonair good looks as he handles the most messed up situations, sometimes with straight-faced humour too. Collin Farrell is endearing as the honest boxing coach of a bunch of rowdy and misled youths. Rest of the cast is equally impressive but the man who stands tall above all with his wry wit and irreverent humour is Hugh Grant. The talented English actor has the most fun as the cheeky and blackmailing private investigator Fletcher, who narrates his findings to Ray in the form of a screenplay. The chemistry between the two British actors is clearly the highpoint of the film and so are the subtle sexual innuendoes between the two that make for some trippy fun.
Overall, ‘The Gentlemen’ is a crisp and comedic action entertainer with fascinating characters. The jokes and punches aren’t loud and in-your-face, but they surely pack a solid punch.
