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The Gentlemen (2019 film)

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The Gentlemen
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGuy Ritchie
Screenplay byGuy Ritchie
Story by
  • Guy Ritchie
  • Ivan Atkinson
  • Marn Davies
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAlan Stewart
Edited byJames Herbert
Music byChristopher Benstead
Production
company
Distributed by
Release dates
  • December 3, 2019 (2019-12-03) (Curzon Mayfair Cinema)
  • January 1, 2020 (2020-01-01) (United Kingdom)
  • January 24, 2020 (2020-01-24) (United States)
Running time
113 minutes[1]
Countries
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$22 million[2]
Box office$115 million[3][4]

The Gentlemen is a 2019 action comedy film written, directed and produced by Guy Ritchie, from a story by Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, and Ritchie. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. It follows an American marijuana kingpin in England who is looking to sell his business, setting off a chain of blackmail and schemes to undermine him.

The Gentlemen premiered at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema on December 3, 2019,[5] and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2020, and in the United States on January 24, 2020, by STXfilms. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its direction, acting, and script, with many regarding it as a welcome return to form for Ritchie. However, some noted being troubled by its racist undertones and coarse language.[6] It grossed $115 million worldwide, and is currently the sixth highest-grossing film of 2020.

Plot

Big Dave, editor of the Daily Print tabloid, is snubbed by cannabis baron Mickey Pearson at a party and hires private investigator Fletcher, to investigate Pearson's links to Lord Pressfield, a Royal Duke with a heroin-addicted daughter. Fletcher offers to sell his findings (typed up as a screenplay entitled Bush) to Pearson's right-hand man, Raymond, for £20,000,000.

Pearson plans to sell his business to American billionaire Matthew Berger for $400,000,000 so he can retire peacefully with his wife, Rosalind. Pearson shows Berger one of the labs where he grows his cannabis under the estates of aristocratic landlords, who need cash for the upkeep of their stately homes. Pearson is later approached by Dry Eye, an underboss for Chinese gangster Lord George. Dry Eye offers to buy out Pearson's business, but he refuses. Pearson's lab is then raided by amateur MMA fighters and aspiring YouTubers "The Toddlers" who overpower the lab's guards, steal a van-load of marijuana and upload a rap video of their caper online. The fighters' trainer, known only as Coach, orders them to delete the video and is horrified when he discovers that the cannabis belongs to Pearson.

Pearson begins transferring his cannabis plants out of the estates. He also agrees to bring home Pressfield's wayward daughter Laura. Raymond retrieves Laura from a council estate where she is living with several other addicts. However, in a brawl with her flatmates one of Raymond's men accidentally pushes Aslan, a young Russian man, out of the window to his death. Although Laura was then returned to her parents, she later dies of a heroin overdose. Coach visits Raymond, apologises for his students' actions, and offers his services as penance. Coach has captured Phuc, a henchman of Dry Eye's who had informed Coach's crew about the lab location, although Phuc is accidentally killed during a botched escape attempt. Pearson threatens Lord George for going after his lab, and destroys one of his heroin labs in retaliation. George chastises Dry Eye for his insubordination in attacking Pearson and offering to buy him out; George nods to a henchman to execute Dry Eye, but the man executes George instead.

Unknown to Pearson, Dry Eye is in league with Berger, who had wanted Pearson's business disrupted to reduce the price. Dry Eye has taken Lord George's place and still hopes to take Pearson's empire for himself. Dry Eye tries to kidnap Rosalind, who kills Dry Eye's men before she runs out of bullets in her two-shot derringer. Raymond kills an assassin sent to kill Pearson; the two rush to Rosalind and Pearson kills Dry Eye. Fletcher ends his story and Raymond orders him to leave his house.

Fletcher has merely confirmed Pearson's suspicions about the link between Dry Eye and Berger. Raymond orders Coach's students to capture Big Dave. They drug him and film him having sex with a pig, threatening to post it online unless he drops his investigation. Pearson and Berger meet up again in a frozen fish plant, actually a cover for Pearson's European distribution operation. Berger drops his offer to $130,000,000, on account of the recent disruptions it has experienced, but Pearson reveals his knowledge of Berger's plan, shows him Dry Eye's frozen body and tells him he is keeping his business. Pearson forces Berger inside a refrigerator, where he will freeze to death unless he transfers $270,000,000 compensation and, for the assault on Rosalind, cuts "a pound of flesh" from his own body.

Fletcher approaches Raymond again for his payment, but Raymond reveals that he was tailing Fletcher all along. The fighters have stolen his stashes of evidence after Raymond placed a tracker on him during their last encounter. Fletcher reveals that he has also sold info to Aslan's father, a Russian oligarch and former KGB agent. Coach kills two Russian hitmen sent to kill Raymond, while Fletcher escapes in the chaos. Pearson is kidnapped by two other Russians, but they are ambushed by Coach's students who want to "solve Coach's problem". They assault the car with bullets, killing the Russians and allowing Pearson to escape. Later, Fletcher decides to pitch the story as a film to Miramax. After his meeting, he gets into a cab only to realise that Raymond is the driver. Upon learning of Fletcher's capture, Pearson and Rosalind return to their cannabis empire and celebrate in each other's company.

Cast

Production

It was announced in May 2018 that Guy Ritchie would write and direct The Gentlemen, a film that would be in the same spirit as his earlier Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. The project was unveiled at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, where Miramax acquired the distribution rights.[7][8] Filming was expected to begin in October.[9] In October, Matthew McConaughey, Kate Beckinsale, Henry Golding and Hugh Grant were cast,[10][11] with Jeremy Strong, Jason Wong and Colin Farrell joining in November. Later, Michelle Dockery signed on, replacing Beckinsale in her role.[12][13][14] In December 2018, Lyne Renée was added as well.[15]

Principal photography began in November 2018.[16] Filming locations included West London Film Studios and The Princess Victoria pub in Shepherd's Bush.[citation needed]

Release

In February 2019, STX Entertainment acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film from Miramax for $7 million.[17] The film had its world premiere as a VIP special screening at Curzon Mayfair on December 3, 2019.[18] It was theatrically released in the UK on January 1, 2020 and in the US on January 24, 2020.[19] The studio spent around $25 million on promoting the film.[20]

The Gentlemen was released on home media and video on demand on March 24, 2020.[21] It was previously set for a home media release on April 7, but was moved up due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22] It is scheduled to be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on April 21, 2020 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.[23]

Reception

Box office

As of March 15, 2020, The Gentlemen has grossed $36.3 million in the United States and Canada, and $78.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $115 million.[3][4]

In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside The Turning, and was projected to gross around $10 million from 2,100 theaters in its opening weekend.[24] The film made $3.1 million on its first day, including $725,000 from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $10.6 million, finishing fourth at the box office.[20] It then made $6 million in its second weekend, finishing fifth.[25] In its third and fourth weekends the film made a respective $4.2 million and $2.7 million.[26][27]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 75% based on 248 reviews, with an average rating of 6.46/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "It may not win writer-director Guy Ritchie many new converts, but for those already attuned to the filmmaker's brash wavelength, The Gentlemen stands tall."[28] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[29] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while PostTrak reported an average 3.5 out of 5 stars, with 48% of people saying they would definitely recommend it.[20]

Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Leah Greenblatt rated the film a "B-" and found it to come up short when compared to Ritchie's previous crime films, stating, "The Gentlemen is nothing if not a callback to the Locks of yesteryear, star-stacked and defibrillated with enough juice to jolt a gorilla out of cardiac arrest."[30] Some reviews perceived the film as anti-Semitic, racist, homophobic and sexist on account of its portrayals of characters that fit stereotypes.[31][32][33] The Independent described it as "an equal opportunity offender" in its targeting of a multitude of minorities from Jews to East-Asians.[34]

References

  1. ^ "The Gentlemen (18)". British Board of Film Classification. December 22, 2019. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  2. ^ "Weekend Box Office: Guy Ritchie's 'The Gentlemen' Beats Latest Horror Dud". IndieWire. January 26, 2020. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "The Gentlemen (2020)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "The Gentlemen (2020)". The Numbers. Archived from the original on October 20, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  5. ^ MarketMeets. Film Premieres 2019. [1] Archived January 2, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "The Gentlemen review: Guy Ritchie's return to gangster movies is an angry, racist mess". The Independent. December 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  7. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr (May 3, 2018). "Guy Ritchie Returns To 'Lock, Stock' & 'Snatch' Turf With 'Toff Guys' – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr (May 9, 2018). "Freshly Recapitalized Miramax Lands $30M+ World Rights Deal For Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  9. ^ "Guy Ritchie's Gangster Flick 'Toff Guys' Could Have Cameras Rolling By Next Month". Geeks WorldWide. September 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  10. ^ Kroll, Justin (October 10, 2018). "Matthew McConaughey to Star in Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' With Kate Beckinsale, Henry Golding". Variety. Archived from the original on October 11, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  11. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 1, 2018). "Hugh Grant Joins Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' Gang". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  12. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 7, 2018). "Jeremy Strong To Play Pot Kingpin In Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' Gangster Pic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  13. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 16, 2018). "Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' Adds Jason Wong". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  14. ^ "Colin Farrell Joins Matthew McConaughey in Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 1, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
  15. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 13, 2018). "Guy Ritchie's 'Toff Guys' Taps Lyne Renee". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  16. ^ Daniels, Nia (November 13, 2018). "Guy Ritchie movie starts London filming". The Knowledge Online. Archived from the original on November 17, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  17. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 21, 2019). "STX Punches For Guy Ritchie Crime-Comedy 'Bush' In Splashy $7M Deal, EFM 2019's Biggest". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 21, 2019. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "Film Premieres 2019". MarkMeets. Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  19. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr (August 2, 2019). "After Denial, STX Moves 'Playmobil' From August 30 To December 6". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 2, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2019.
  20. ^ a b c Anthony D'Alessandro (January 26, 2020). "'Bad Boys For Life' & '1917' Shooting Past $100M; 'The Gentlemen' Eyes $10M+ – Midday Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  21. ^ Booth, Kathryn (March 16, 2020). ""Birds of Prey" and "The Gentlemen" Move Their VOD Dates to Next Week". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  22. ^ "The Gentlemen". Blu-Ray.com. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  23. ^ "The Gentlemen DVD Release Date". DVDs Release Dates. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  24. ^ Rebecca Rubin (January 22, 2020). "Box Office: 'The Gentlemen' Takes on 'Bad Boys'". Variety. Archived from the original on January 22, 2020. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
  25. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (February 2, 2020). "'Bad Boys For Life' Scores Over Super Bowl Weekend With $17M+; 'Rhythm Section' Is A Mess". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 1, 2020. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 9, 2020). "How 'Birds Of Prey' Went Astray With $33M+ Opening". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 8, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  27. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 16, 2020). "' 'Sonic The Hedgehog' Runs Faster With 4-Day Of $68M". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  28. ^ "The Gentlemen (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  29. ^ "The Gentlemen Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 24, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  30. ^ Entertainment Weekly, Leah Greenblatt. The Gentlemen. Page 74-75. Feb 2020 issue. [2] Archived January 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ "Review: 'The Gentlemen' Is Not Nearly as Classy as Advertised". Time. Archived from the original on January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  32. ^ "The Gentlemen review: Guy Ritchie crime caper stained with casual racism". NME. December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  33. ^ Willmore, Alison (January 23, 2020). "The Gentlemen Is a Throwback Crime Caper With Some Throwback Racism". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 23, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
  34. ^ "The Gentlemen review: Guy Ritchie's return to gangster movies is an angry, racist mess". The Independent. December 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 9, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
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