ViewGuide

Created Feb 08, 2020 06:57AM PST • Edited Mar 23, 2020 03:53PM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Good 3.0

   No wonder Madonna divorced Guy Ritchie, a bloke who makes the most ungentlemanly movies possible. The Gentlemen more than proves the point. A Toxic Masculinity Opera, it’s full of dicks calling each other c*nts, when they’re not proffering racial putdowns. Methinks they try too hard. Compensating much?

   Mark this down as lesser Ritchie, classic Ritchie though it may be. While of a piece with his rousing Sherlock Holmes and the visceral yet comedic violence of his Snatch, its reach well exceeds its grasp.

   Part of the problem is a rare Matthew McConaughey misfire, his weirdly cool insouciance insufficient for an evil kingpin role. Christopher Walken he’s not. Ritchie surrounds him with other stars overacting, Hugh Grant most of all. A cool Charlie Hunnam & a foxy Michelle Dockery help, but can’t save the rancid stew.

4. Acting

   Good 3.0

   • Charlie Hunnam is onscreen most among the ensemble, good thing but not enough of a good thing.
   • Matthew McConaughey fails as an evil kingpin, as noted above.
   • Michelle Dockery classes up the production as McConaughey’s cooly gorgeous wife.
   • Hugh Grant plays assertively fey, which would be fine if he wasn’t dining on scenery.
   • Henry Golding has the unenviable role of asian stereotype.
   • Eddie Marsan is a great character actor in a one-note role
   • Colin Farrell scores as an underworld boxing coach.

5. Male Stars OK 2.5

6. Female Stars OK 2.5

7. Female Costars Very Good 3.5

8. Male Costars Very Good 3.5

10. Film

    Good 3.0

    Guy Ritchie is too good at his brand of showy-stagy testosterone operas. He should dial it back next time.

11. Direction Great 4.0

12. Play Barely OK 2.0

13. Music Very Good 3.5

14. Visuals Great 4.0
15. Content

16. Edge

    Sordid 3.3

    The nasty bon-mots grow tiresome, especially the repetitive use of the c-word, and I’m a dude. Women, stand clear.

17. Sex Titillating 1.8

18. Violence Savage 3.7

19. Rudeness Nasty 4.3

21. Reality

    Surreal 2.6

22. Circumstantial Surreal 3.0

23. Biological Supernatural 3.1

24. Physical Glib 1.8