Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Eddie Marsan, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Strong, Jason Wong
In The Gentlemen, Guy Ritchie doesn't overrun the story with excessive style. He has constructed an amusing, light (relatively speaking) crime comedy and allows it to breathe. Ritchie has visited this territory before, with Snatch as the most famous example, but The Gentlemen is his most successful venture into crime by far.
There are many characters, but following The Gentlemen is easy. As it opens, greedy private eye Fletcher (Grant) awaits the late night arrival of Raymond (Hunnam) at home and lays out his plan to blackmail Raymond's boss, England's biggest marijuana distributor Mickey Pearson (McConaughey), into paying him off to keep quiet about Pearson's criminal activity which could land him in prison or worse have him killed. Fletcher plans to reveal everything in a screenplay he plans to pitch all over Hollywood, unless Mickey pays him serious hush money.
Mickey is looking to get out of the weed business and retire to spend more time with his wife Rosalind (Dockery), who one could easily mistake for Lady Macbeth. He has a potential suitor in Kingpin Matthew (Strong), and after a deal is done in principle, an up and coming crime lord named Dry Eye (Golding) enters with his own offer. Well, not really an offer, but more of a demand for Mickey to kill the deal with Matthew or be killed himself.
Mickey may be looking to retire, but that doesn't mean he's going soft. With help from the loyal Raymond, Mickey discovers an even bigger plot against him while playing everything like a chess master. He sees two moves ahead and acts accordingly. Yes, he is a criminal, but he deals in weed, which in his estimation is far less destructive than opioids, and he is loyal to his wife and his employees. As far as crime lords go, he is a pretty decent guy.
No need to reveal what happens from here. Part of the fun of The Gentlemen is navigating the twists and turns of a story which seems simple at first, but draws out complexities in the people who occupy it. Ritchie doesn't resort to camera trickery which draws attention away from the story. With such capable performers at his disposal who are clearly enjoying themselves, Ritchie makes the wise decision to back off on the heavily stylization which has plagued some of his more recent efforts. Guy Ritchie isn't the story here, and it is instead a joy to watch the actual story unfold.
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