When one of the few good things you can say about a movie is everybody was dressed nice, that’s not a roaring compliment.
The lead actor clearly agreed with at least one part of that.
Matthew McConaughey loved the duds his sharp-dressed weed dealer wears in The Gentlemen. So much so that he did one thing when shooting wrapped — he swiped them.
Matthew McConaughey loved suits in ‘The Gentlemen’ — so he stole them | Calgary Herald
You can tell from the box art that dress is important in this film. Sure, hire the costume designer for your next film. That person knows how to make your actors and actresses look the part.
It’s time to dig deeper than the clothes the players were wearing in this film, and that means there will be SPOILERS ahead. If you haven’t seen the film yet and want to see it, you might want to come back to this one after doing so.
…. you have been warning SPOILERS ahead …
Guy Ritchie is no Quentin Tarantino
Great writer-directors like Tarantino make what he does look easy. It’s not, or director Guy Ritchie could copy the style, substance or story. At least the story.
When he emerged as a filmmaker in the late 1990s, Guy Ritchie fashioned himself as a kind of British Quentin Tarantino. His early movies (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch) were set in criminal underworlds, crackled with witty and shockingly profane dialogue, and gleefully chopped up their timelines. Ritchie has occasionally sojourned back to that territory (in 2008’s RocknRolla, for instance). But of late he’s been languishing in franchise-land
Matthew McConaughey Can Do Better Than This
Profanity didn’t bother me here
As long as it fits, I’m not one that cares if there is excess profanity in a film. Comedies of sorts like this get a pass. There were a fair amount of f-bombs and the ever questionable c-bomb. Some other reviews raise this as something that wasn’t appreciated.
We have to keep in mind the characters here. To think a bunch of drug trade guys don’t swear, probably quite a bit, is a tad unrealistic.
Reviews By Others
Right now this has a pretty high IMDB score (8.1/10) and the audience score at Rotten Tomatoes is 86% with 2,600+ reviews, which is also positive. Let’s see how other movie bloggers are reviewing The Gentlemen:
Recommended
- calypte / LittleFrogScribbles (9/10): “It’s sweary and politically incorrect, and rude and has you rooting for one bunch of criminals over others. Brilliant”
- Charlie Morris: “…even though it is the first new release of 2020 that I’ve seen, it will undoubtedly remain one of my favourites for the rest of the year.”
- David Ferguson: “…is most assuredly a bit too far removed from today’s acceptable Politically Correct line. It features mostly male characters and far too many stereotypes to count. It’s also ridiculously funny. Mr. Ritchie doesn’t take his story or characters too seriously, but he proves yet again that he’s serious about entertainment.”
- Delaware’s Film Critic (7/10): “…was surprising good being released in the dead zone of January.”
- fanboyreviewer (3.5/4): “I figured that this movie was going to be a highly enjoyable watch, but this was honestly better than I would have guessed with some amazing performances and an interesting story.”
- Jordan and Eddie (3.5/5): “It’s great to see Guy Ritchie back doing what he does best and while The Gentlemen never reaches the dazzling heights of the directors best works, this is a step back in the right direction for a filmmaker who had lost his sense of purpose.”
- JustJen/Sometimes Objective Reviews: “A funny and modernised take to the old school London Gangster movies we’re used to seeing from Richie that will undoubtedly convert the new school of film watchers to his ways.”
- Ken Murray / The Nerds Templar: “…with the fantastic cast, some really laugh out loud humor and Ritchie’s strong use of music, The Gentlemen is more positive than negative. It’s something I can see myself watching again and it made me want to revisit the underrated The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
- Kirkham a Movie a Day: “Although it seems that the events in the story are spinning out as a series of unplanned obstacles, there is always a way that those moments tie back into the plot, usually in a surprising way.”
- Love Popcorn: “Whilst Ritchie did include some brief nods to a modern Britain with references to Brexit and Grime music, the overall feel was a little dated and I’m sure the PC police will find a fair few things to complain about, but as long as you prepare yourselves for many, many F-bombs and C-bombs, this is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of cinema.”
- marruda3: “The characters were fleshed out and intriguing, the humor sharp and lively, and the story good enough to hold my interest throughout.”
- Major Film Reviews: “…is a masterfully-crafted, and enjoyable, experience; with excellent characters and performances, and creative framing that seals the deal.”
- Mirza Baig (4/5): “…is a fun, original, and expletive loaded crime caper that is full of swagger and style.”
- Often Off Topic (5/5): “If you’re a fan of movies like In Bruges (2008) – also starring a hilarious Colin Farrell, then you’re going to love this, I think”
- Pete / Clear Blue Eye: “This film is a much needed return to form and is, hands down, Ritchie’s best film since “Snatch.””
- Rob Williams / Runpee (Grade: A): “Basically it’s a case of if you liked Lock, Stock and Snatch you’ll like this. Twists and turns, surprises, humor, and action, pretty much from start to end.”
- Sean Coates / Moviebabble: “A disposable, yet entertaining homecoming to the gangster genre for Guy Ritchie with an overly familiar setting and plot, but is elevated by its incredible cast and Ritchie’s signature filmmaking style at its most potent level in years.”
- shellywilson72 (5/5): “The script is genius, and the packed cinema laughed out loud most of the way through the screening.”
- Society Reviews: “…is as colorful as it is ridiculous and that is what makes it one of the most unique and enjoyable films of the early year.”
- tensecondsfromnow / The Film Authority: “This is a mature, amusing, deftly plotted and politically subversive film that has the narrative nous to have its cake and eat it. There are a few moments where Ritchie pushes the outrageous tone too far, but such gambles can be forgiven when the film just works, and The Gentleman purrs long like a vintage Jag on a crisp, asphalt driveway.”
- The Enlightened Diabetic: “I began this year with one of the best I’ve seen in a very long time.”
- Tom E / Plain, Simple Tom Reviews (3/5): “A solidly written and inventively constructed crime film with plenty of twists and turns that doesn’t hold back on the violence and the bad language and which features lively direction and an animated cast.”
- Tom Moore / Moore Reviews (4/5): “…is a strong return for Ritchie and is just an excellently acted, strongly stylized, and incredibly humorous British crime caper in general.”
Not Recommended
- Alex Brannan / Cinefiles (Grade: C+): “…is a somewhat dull exercise in watching a story run out of steam. Ritchie gives us his usual dynamic style in the introduction to this ensemble, but once the plot begins in earnest there isn’t much to say.”
- Caz / In Their Own League: “With “The Gentlemen”, an otherwise fun, stylish and clever film was massively let down by reducing sexual violence to a plot device and entirely ignoring the trauma it causes. The victim had no personal resolution at all. To use sexual violence like this is hugely dangerous for audiences.”
- Embrace Your Geekness / EYG (3.1/5): “Despite the fact that I came out of this with a positive note, I have a feeling that it will not be a film that sticks with me for a long time.”
- Michael J. Casey: “The Gentlemen feels less like a Ritchie movie and more like a derivation of a Ritchie movie with a pinch of Quentin Tarantino and a dash of Get Shorty tossed in.”
- Mike Shutt / Reel Projection: “The film wants so badly to be this throwback Guy Ritchie picture and recapture when he was the brash new voice on the scene. But he’s not anymore. He just made Aladdin. His world no longer intersects with the one he started with, and nothing about The Gentlemen comes from a genuine place.”
- MoodyB (6.5/10): “…the great cast undoubtedly elevate the somewhat lacklustre script and make The Gentlemen a slick and watchable film, but it is ultimately a reminder that Snatch and Lock Stock may be due a re-watch, while The Gentlemen be forgotten about.”
- RockAtThemovies (6.5/10): “I appreciated the style and suaveness of the actors involved in the film but struggled to feel the impact that I hoped it would offer.”
- The Film Blog (3/5): “Here is a filmmaker who has learned much from his dip in with the big timers of LA but is resolute to prove he has emerged in total tact. In this case, that is to say: Ritchie remains refreshingly tactless.”
- The World of Celebrity (3/5): “It has a couple of unexpected action moments that I enjoyed and I did laugh out loud a handful of times but this was nowhere near as exciting or fun as I expected it to be.”
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