DIFF Review: The Gentlemen

Guy Ritchie’s long-awaited return to the gangster genre walks on familiar ground, some times delightfully and other times dangerously. 

After going off brand with the charming Sherlock Holmes series and the financially successful Disney fantasy remake Aladdin, Guy Ritchie returns to his roots with a stylish crime-comedy filled with his trademark dark humor and satirical look at floundering gangsters. In The Gentlemen, London-based drug magnate Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) tries to sell his empire when he finds himself in the middle of a sinister scheme involving Chinese gangster, Dry Eye (Henry Golding). Unable to fight his adversaries on his own, Pearson must work with associates such as Raymond (Charlie Hunnam) to overthrow those trying to get the best of him before he exits the business once and for all. 

While Ritchie’s previous efforts like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) or Snatch (2000) perfectly embody the spirit of late 90s and early 2000s independent filmmaking, The Gentlemen feels outdated and unable to escape the bygone tropes that modern films are attempting to leave in the rearview. After contributing to the effort to places minority characters at the forefront of Hollywood blockbusters with Aladdin, Ritchie backtracks in The Gentlemen, sidelining minority characters and reinforcing racial stereotypes. Ritchie’s portrayal of Asian characters, especially those of Chinese descent, is questionable at best. The main villain, Dry Eye, fits the stereotypical narrative that Asians are manipulative and dangerous, and scenes targeting minority groups are alarming rather than funny. Similarly, female characters, such as Rosalind Pearson (Michelle Dockery) lack individuality and are often treated as objects by their male counterparts. The Gentlemen‘s concerning portrayals impede the respectable efforts Ritchie was a part of with Aladdin, and shows that there is still much work to be done when it comes to equality on the big screen.

Perhaps The Gentlemen’s greatest strength lies in its strong main characters and ensemble cast rounded out with the likes of Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. Each actor gives their best, making their respective characters unique and likable despite the script’s more general shortcomings. Although these characters are clearly written to be caricatures, they reflect a certain degree of realism about human nature, especially with how people plot against each other for personal gain. In Ritchie’s world, there is no loyalty or true friendships, only self-interest. Watching these colorful characters interact with each other is delightful, and I enjoyed every moment they were on screen. They are simultaneously distant and relatable, which makes them all the more fascinating. Thanks to the film’s non-linear narrative, well-designed costumes that echo character traits, and jocular score, the characters are elevated as we learn more about them.

The Gentlemen inherits Ritchie’s style: unconventional, witty, and deliberately offensive at times. It offers plenty of fun and style for the audience, but generates little we haven’t seen before at the start of a decade that we hope is even fresher than the last. Compelling characters and performances enhance The Gentlemen’s charisma, but the offensive and uninventive themes hold it back from reaching the height of its potential. For those who enjoy Ritchie’s films, The Gentlemen is a great time at the theater that celebrates the director’s return to gangster movies, but for casual moviegoers, it might be something to save for when there is nothing better to stream on your couch.

BY: Harry Wang

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