🌿Guy Ritchie's "The Gentlemen" Definitely Worth Watching
Netflix's limited release series is highly entertaining with a terrific cast and plot, and is great for binge watching.
Netflix just released a limited series by Guy Ritchie (Madonna’s ex-husband). I love this guy, his characters, his plot, his wackiness make me laugh out loud. The series called "The Gentlemen", but is the same name as a previous film of his. The film is also a crime-comedy that revolves around a character named Mickey, played by Matthew McConaughey. Mickey is an American expatriate who has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London.
When he decides to retire and sell his business, chaos erupts as various criminal elements attempt to take advantage of the situation. He faces threats from rival gangsters, ambitious upstarts, and even members of the British aristocracy who seek to disrupt his plans to sell his business. Mickey has to outmaneuver his adversaries and protect his legacy.
"The Gentlemen" is known for its sharp dialogue, stylish visuals, and intricate plot twists. It features an ensemble cast including Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, and Michelle Dockery, and Hugh Grant, who are great as the colorful characters populating Ritchie's criminal underworld. Hugh Grant is especially a great weaseley character.
Now this not to be confused with the Netflix limited series, “The Gentleman” (2024), a drama starring Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Vinnie Jones, Joely Richardson, Giancarlo Esposito, (see the cast here) The Gentlemen is a spin-off of Ritchie's 2019 film I just mentioned of the same name.
Theo James is a well-respected army officer Eddie Horniman, the second-born son of the Duke of Halstead, who is pulled away from his life in the military to take over his family's 500-year-old estate following the death of his dad, only to learn that it's part of an underground cannabis empire.
It’s a mix of British royalty meets British thuggery and the inevitable happens. James is the upper-class good guy, while Kaya Scodelario is terrific as the sexy dark side, Susie Glass. Joely Richardson (daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and Tony Richardson) is impeccable as the royal Lady Sabrina.
The series is new and fans are saying is much better than the movie. I binge watched it, and enjoyed it tremendously. Although, in my opinion the movie is better since the plot and action comes in a much more concentrated two-hour time format, and Hugh Grant’s character knocks me out.
The thing that I find annoying is that many of these limited-series crime dramas however, is because the plots are overwritten and extended, you get tired of seeing the same scene wherein the hero/heroine escapes sure death, many times attributed to deus ex machina (some unexpected hero saves them).
Guy Ritchie is to me like one of my favorite genre fiction writers, Elmore Leonard (October 11, 1925 – August 20, 2013) author of “Get Shorty,” “Rum Punch,” and many other crime novels and whose novella, “Fire in the Hole (2000) inspired the FX series, “Justified,” starring Timothy Olyphant.
Leonard’s offbeat characters, unusual plot twists, great anti-heroes, lots of action makes them very eye-gluing and engaging reading and although not as intense a Ritchie’s. Of course, Leonard does come from an earlier era where extravagant violence wasn’t the norm.
1. Fast-paced editing: Ritchie's films are known for their rapid editing, quick cuts, and dynamic camera work, which create a sense of energy and urgency. This style keeps the audience engaged and adds to the overall excitement of the storytelling. f
2. Stylish visuals: Ritchie has a keen eye for visual flair. His films often feature stylish cinematography, vibrant colors, and creative camera angles that contribute to their distinctive look and feel.
3. Quirky characters and dialogue: Ritchie's characters are often colorful and eccentric, with witty dialogue and memorable personalities. His films frequently explore the criminal underworld or feature characters involved in unconventional situations, which adds to their uniqueness.
4. Nonlinear storytelling: Many of Ritchie's films employ nonlinear narrative structures, jumping back and forth in time or presenting events out of chronological order. This unconventional approach to storytelling adds complexity and intrigue to his films.
5. British sensibility: Ritchie's films often reflect a distinctly British sensibility, incorporating elements of British culture, humor, and slang. This cultural context adds depth and authenticity to his storytelling, setting his films apart from others in the genre.
Overall, Guy Ritchie's has unique blend of visual style, storytelling techniques, distinct British influences create a base of loyal aficionados of his work, like myself. You just get swept up in their wackiness.
I haven’t watched all of his films but the two that I think are hysterical and fun to watch. Snatch" (2000): Another crime comedy-drama, known for its intricate plot, fast-paced editing, and colorful characters. The film revolves around various groups of criminals and their intersecting storylines involving a stolen diamond. starring Jason Statham as a street thug, Brad Pitt as head of the gypsies with Benicio DelTorro and Dennis Farina supporting & a ton of great British character actors. (see cast here)
The second one I love is . "RocknRolla" (2008): A crime film set in London's underworld, featuring multiple interconnected storylines revolving around real estate scams, Russian mobsters, and a painting stolen from a Russian billionaire.
The last is "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998), which was his feature film debut, a crime comedy-drama that follows a group of friends who get involved in a high-stakes card game and find themselves in debt to a local gangster. The film set the tone for the two mentioned films above.
He has made other non-gangster crime films like “Sherlock Holmes" (2009) and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (2011), "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (2015), "King Arthur: Legend of the Sword" (2017). To be honest I didn’t have much interest in them.
They’re good films, but it’s his wacky crime comedies that have made me a loyal fan. There are films that as soon you start watching them, you know who directed them, like Wes Anderson, The Coen Brothers, Quentin Tarrantino, Woody Allen, and Ritchie is definitely one of them.
I am not a film critic by any means, but Guy Ritchie, I’d like to have a drink with this guy. Of course, this review is from a guy’s point of view. He doesn’t do Lifetime movies. I don’t know if women would find his macho fare that rewarding, but let me know in the comments section if I’m right about this.
