The Gentlemen

The Gentlemen

Starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant

Directed by Guy Ritchie

What Martin Scorsese is to American gangster films, Guy Ritchie is to British gangster films.  He burst into the scene with two tremendous films that spotlight his unique storytelling style in "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch," which remains his magnum opus.  He followed that one-two punch with two additional fantastic pieces of work: "Revolver" and "RocknRolla" (I'm bypassing his God-awful "Swept Away" as a regrettable decision he made so he can feature his then-wife Madonna - or maybe she forced it out of him), and he really cemented himself as a unique voice in a crowded room due to his fast-paced nature, quick edits, and snippy, intelligent dialogue.

It's when he started doing other peoples' work that he started to falter in his directing style.  While he co-wrote his early work, he was brought on to direct big-budget films like "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.," "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword," and "Aladdin" (which isn't necessarily a bad film, but anyone watching it would never have known it was a Guy Ritchie film).  Only his "Sherlock Holmes" franchise managed to be successes, and that's mostly due to Robert Downey Jr.  I'm saying all this to say: Guy Ritchie has officially returned, as "The Gentlemen" is a film wholly unique to his talent, a film that's on par with his greatest works.

The film follows American Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), who's running the England's biggest marijuana outlet who's planning on selling due to pot becoming legalized.   Many people come out of the woodwork for his company, including Dry Eye (Henry Golding), an underboss for a powerful Chinese mobster, as well as American billionaire Matthew Berger (Jeremy Strong) who wants to buy his company for 400 million.  As Mickey's empire goes for sale, people start interfering with his business practices in hopes of driving down the cost, and Mickey's right hand man Raymond (Charlie Hunnam) is approached by reporter Fletcher (Hugh Grant) with a story so outlandish and insane it must be true - and could threaten all of their lives.

Filled with fast-paced dialogue that pretty much demands a second viewing to catch everything you missed, "The Gentlemen" is filled to the brim with witty speeches and terrific performances by all the actors involved, a film that focuses on the suave sophistication of the worst people imaginable, making them actually likable in the end, something Ritchie is well-known for - making saints out of a rogue's gallery of villains.  No one in the film is a saint, or even close, but Ritchie crafts a sophisticated script that clearly weeds out the worst from the not-so-bad, all the while offering full, complicated characters that are more than just one-dimensional.

The film is shot within a framing device, as it's basically almost entirely told from reporter Fletcher's point of view, who himself is a very unreliable narrator (there's several scenes that he even mentions never happened, but he expounds on them to entertain the audience).  As Fletcher weaves his story in front of a seemingly bored Raymond, you're enthralled by his speech and even if it was just the two men, you'd be completely entertained.  This has to due wholly to Hugh Grant's exceptional performance, an actor growing past his prime but relying on his strengths to deliver a compelling performance even as he doesn't do much than give expositional dialogue, but in a fun and humorous way.  His banter with Charlie Hunnam is laugh-out-loud, and both men work extremely well off one another.  Matthew McConaughey may get top billing, but this is Grant's show through-and-through.

While Grant dominates with his eloquence and suave nature, the entire ensemble adds their own perfect sophistication to the project.  Matthew McConaughey elevates a dominating presence as the film's so-called protagonist, a man not ruled by emotion but rather deadpan humor and intelligence, serving as the head lion in the ordeal.  In contrast, Henry Golding steps out of his romantic comedy typecast to play a no-nonsense hip young wannabe mobster who clashes with McConaughey's Mickey in darkly humorous and deadly ways, serving as Mickey's own pronounced "dragon" to his "lion" (aside: there's a lot of racist, homophobic remarks made in this film, so if you're easily offended by them, it's probably best to watch something else, like "The Care Bears Movie").  Hunnam does brilliantly playing Mickey's right hand man, a person you'd mistake for a college professor instead of a hitman, but once he gets a job, he sees it through to its bloody end.  Likewise, "Downton Abbey" star Michelle Dockery sheds her innocence as Mickey's foul-mouthed wife, while Jeremy Strong gives a great performance as Mickey's possible successor.  Everyone is playing their A-game, and it's wonderful to see.

Ritchie is known for his fast editing and even faster dialogue, and the script here calls for both.  You head spins with the double, triple, and even quadruple crosses that the players commit on one another, which again requires another viewing to even begin to piece them together, but it's such an enjoyable experience you wouldn't mind doing so.  Seemingly inconsequential moments lead to monumental reveals, and everyone attempts to be the smartest person in the room, but as we all know there can be only one - will it be the supposed "Lion" Mickey, or maybe his mild-mannered partner in crime Raymond?  Could it be the wannabe-paparazzo Fletcher, or the hotheaded Dry Eye?  Everyone acts like they are, but ultimately it comes down to one - and it's a joyful experience to get there.

Returning to his true form, Guy Ritchie delivers a solid film with "The Gentlemen," highlighting the strengths of his highly capable cast with his fast-paced, intelligent script that offers dark humor and exciting twists and turns.

The Score: A+