Guy Ritchie has a few unique characteristics about his films that makes his work unforgettable.
His soundtracks are always full of bangers. His casting is always top notch, from head billing to the bartender with one line, and he always gets memorable performances out of his cast. All of his films generally have three-to-five scenes that should be broken down in screenwriting classes for future writers to ingest just for the dialogue. This is because of Ritchie’s innate ability to write multiple disconnected stories ending up in one giant, clusterfuck of a scene in the middle of the film that has long-reaching consequences to the plot.
“The Gentlemen”, Ritchie’s latest entry into the grimy British crime noir genre checks off all of the boxes for a Ritchie classic. He has been the benchmark of the genre since the days of “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels” and this film fits nicely into his pantheon of work. The dialogue is sharp and witty, the performances are stellar, and the world-building done by Ritchie is top notch.
Matthew McConaughey is riveting as Mickey Pearson, the hard-nosed American pot-dealing gangster looking to exit the London drug scene as gracefully as possible. Unfortunately for him, there is no such thing as a graceful exit amongst this kind of scum and villainy. Mickey quickly finds himself engulfed in events that might upend the entirety of the London underworld.
The rest of the cast is sensational from top to bottom. Charlie Hunman and Michelle Dockery act as the perfect balances to Mickey as his right-hand man Ray and his revered wife Rosalind. Jeremy Strong, Henry Golding, Tom Wu and many others make memorable appearances as other rival figures in the London underworld. Whether it’s a Russian teenage tweaker named Aslo or the surprisingly congenial strongarm named Bunny, Ritchie delivers a world of unique and memorable characters to populate his London underworld.
The scene-stealing performances that stick with you after the fact are Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. Both men put on superbly weird performances in unorthodox roles to add to their storied careers. Farrell as the plaid jumpsuit-wearing mentor of troubled fight club teens known as the Coach is belligerently brilliant. Grant portraying the disturbingly creepy private investigator Fletcher was a mixture of hilarious entertainment and pure discomfort.
For those with aversions to vulgar language, be prepared for these two and others to say a particular four-letter “C” word early and often. Grant in particular has a way of saying it that makes it sound infinitely more filthy than it already is.
Like all Guy Ritchie underworld films, the aesthetics of “The Gentlemen” are this strange juxtaposition of colors and grit. From the meticulously clean home of Ray to the rundown projects of a heroin den, Ritchie presents this sharp contrast between the vibrancy of color for the wealthy in comparison to the more muted tones of the lower classes. Many of the themes and character journeys of the film follow along with these visual contrasts.
Mickey’s path to retirement is inherently about finding peace at the end of a life of violence, but his impending exit causes a rise in danger for him and his loved ones. The drug he chooses to deal in, marijuana, is represented as a less dangerous alternative to the heroin business of Wu’s Lord George. Even so, Mickey infers he has plenty of blood on his hands all the same. Ritchie does an expert job in weaving these contradictions and more in a manner that never feels forced.
“The Gentlemen” marks Guy Ritchie’s return to his roots in the gritty crime genre, and he does not disappoint. Ritchie’s unique blend of violence and humor always finds its footing in the London underworld.
If you have previously enjoyed Ritchie’s films in the past, this film will not disappoint. If you enjoy your violence with a Cockney accent and a wise ass disposition, you won’t find a better film to watch to scratch that itch.
- Film: The Gentlemen
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Release: 2019
- Currently available: Netflix
The B Report 
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