by Ruth A. Dan, YourPace Contributing Writer
The Gentlemen (2019), directed by Guy Ritchie, is an action comedy movie that’s funny and entertaining, and I’m going to convince you to watch it by the time you finish reading this article, with no spoilers.
To provide a basic overview of the plot, the movie revolves around cannabis mogul Mickey Pearson, who aims to expand his marijuana empire in the United Kingdom, triggering a series of chaotic events involving a cast of extraordinary characters. It stars Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, and Michelle Dockery, alongside Hugh Grant and Charlie Hunnam.
The film starts with an intense yet calm scene that hooks you in with curiosity. You don’t have much information, except that the person on screen is important, as indicated by his suit, his confidence, and the pub owner’s greeting. We get introduced to Mickey as he sits at the pub, and a man gets behind him with a gun. There’s a quick cut to Mickey’s beer glass with blood splattered, and the scene fades to black, successfully hooking the audience. Okay, now that I’ve ruined the opening scene for you, I won’t spoil any other scenes in the movie in this review, I promise.
The story is told through a narrator, Fletcher, a reporter, who blackmails Mickey Pearson via his right-hand man, Raymond. This is not spoiling anything; it’s exposition. So, through this narrator, we get a limited, third-person view of the events, meaning we only know what the narrator tells us in the order he tells the story. The movie cuts between shots of the story’s plot and the narrator telling it, breaking the intensity while adding tension, as the audience wants to return to the main plot. Raymond explicitly asks questions, and the narrator answers them through the story. Fletcher, who is ironic, witty, and flirtatious with Raymond, who seems uninterested, provides comic relief. This is one thing that makes the film a fun watch: just when you get hooked into the plot, the movie cuts to Fletcher and Raymond, which is a plot in and of itself, since Fletcher is blackmailing Mickey while telling his story simultaneously.
Another reason to watch this excellent movie is its rapid, parallel sequence of events. The story is non-linear, and we jump back and forth between the present (Raymond and Fletcher) and the main plot. Even within the main plot, there is a lot of jumping around between events. However, this dynamic storytelling enhances the plot, ensuring you remain engaged despite the ensemble of characters and parallel plots. Guy Ritchie, known for his quick action shots, witty characters, and fast-paced sequences, perfectly matches the film’s quick cuts, which jump from one shot to the next. The format makes the movie not only captivating conceptually but also visually. The movie engages both your brain and your eyes.
One last reason you should watch this movie is the humor in this movie. Guy Ritchie writes characters who are larger-than-life, witty, and ironically funny. There’s often Cockney slang mixed into the dialogue, and characters speak fast and banter with each other. Fletcher, for example, is a great character in terms of humor because he randomly infuses one-liners into his blackmail. Blackmailers should be menacing, but instead, Fletcher is a funny character, flirting with Raymond and getting distracted by little things while telling the story. Each character is unique, as in many Guy Ritchie films, and has its own plot that intertwines with the others.
There’s conflict and a thrill right up to the very end, keeping you hooked and part of the story until the movie fades to black. There isn’t a slow falling action, and all the movie’s conclusions come in a quick sequence. The movie ends with a satisfying conclusion that resolves all plot holes and conflicts, making it a very entertaining and satisfying watch.
