The Gentlemen: A More Refined Gangster Movie

The Gentleman is about criminals and drug kingpins and lowlives, but they are presented in a classy and polite way. Guy Ritchie is back with his signature style of touch and cheek gangster and heist plot. He has a way of writing lengthy dialogue driven movies without feeling boring or long drawn out. The characters conduct themselves with style and respect and conduct their business in the same manner. They take the time to correct one another on grammar while pointing guns at each other which is great.

Matthew McConaughey is weed gangster and crime lord. He has a much more refined way of doing things and has a lot of exposition and lengthy dialogue to say. But he is charming and prides himself on class and grammar. He is always seeking a more civilized was of handling problems and only escalating when it is absolutely necessary.  Since he has been doing such serious roles the last few years he gets to have fun and be a little over the top and silly in The Gentlemen.

The cast also includes Hugh Grant, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, and Henry Golding. Hugh Grant is telling most of the narrative and he is cheeky and over the top. He is not his normal calm, collected persona like he is in most roles. When he tells a story he shows a scenario where people yell and shoot and are super violent but then shows what really happens which is a lot more civil. Whenever two characters are talking to each other even while they are arguing, they still correct each other on grammar and gentlemanly ways of acting.

Henry Golding plays someone from a rival gangster group and this is his most interesting role to date. This script really gives him something to do and show his acting chops. He gets to go over the top and have fun, which he didn’t get to do in past movies like Crazy Rich Asians and A Simple Favor. Colin Farrell plays a boxing coach who gets caught up in the whole situation. Even though he has to do questionable things he still retains his mentoring persona even when being attacked by a gang or getting his students involved in bad situations.

The Gentlemen is a nice change of pace and worth seeing after a boring and disappointing January for movies. 🍔🍔🍔🍔