While we have been critical of how monolithic the collection of Hollywood films being screened in Pakistan has been in recent years, it is heartening to see growing diversity in the selection of movies.
Given the continued Bollywood ban, and the fact that Pakistani films recently have either failed to capture the interest of movie buffs or have managed to catch the Tehrik-e-Labbaik’s interest, the successful running of a variety of productions in an increasing number of multiplexes is a healthy sign. This might finally result in the revival of local cinema in the 2020s, one which we relentlessly harped on throughout its preceding decade.
Among the films that have enjoyed an extended run in local multiplexes since the turn of the decade is The Gentlemen – which even by Guy Ritchie’s standards is incredibly sardonically titled.
With the day of this review being published corresponding with Valentine’s Day, you might be mulling a movie date with your partner tonight. In that case, please make sure your choice for a romantic evening does not turn out to be The Gentlemen. Unless, of course, you and your partner have a sense of humour as twisted as Ritchie’s – also, please double check that the warp actually does encompass both individuals in question!
Guy Ritchie, who managed to even submerge Sherlock Holmes in his trademark caper genre, established by Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, has now come up with a film that epitomizes everything that his filmmaking is known for, with the quintessence jam-packed into 104 minutes of the signature action and humour.
It goes without saying that given the abovementioned setting the film oozes with ‘men being men’ – and not exhibiting any form of gentleness, of course – in a masculinity-fest that pays little heed to the two decades of political evolution that separate The Gentlemen from Lock Stock and Snatch.
The film not only stays true to the brand it represents – for better or worse – it actually manages to up the ante on pretty much every ingredient that you would anticipate as a part of the final product before heading into the cinema house.
Starting with the script itself, which has far too many facets to be summed up in a couple of paragraphs of synopsis. Amidst a gamut of gangsters going completely gung ho, there’s blackmail, conmen, a wretched tabloid, and a marijuana kingdom. All of them are squeezed into negligible common space, prompting a Brownian motion of criminals looking to get one over the other.
As a result the story accelerates at a rate of knots, and the moment you let your thoughts wander outside the little experiment slab zooming across the big screen, you inevitably become a part of the many forces trying to give the narrative some direction.
In that regard, the haphazardness of the script is its greatest strength, for it pushes you to seek pleasure in any shortest given time span, more so than waiting for the final unraveling. Even so, it does have a fitting finale in store for you.
What makes the unfolding craziness work is the ensemble cast that the film proudly boasts, spearheaded by Matthew McConaughey and Hugh Grant. Meanwhile, Colin Farrell and Charlie Hunnam are equally strong in their renditions as well.
With such star power, and Ritchie’s masterful writing and directions, there are a lot of aspects that can work for you depending on your individual taste. Any aversion to violence renders even giving the film a thought absolutely fruitless.
That is what makes The Gentlemen a film that you either need to completely avoid or one that might inevitably provide entertainment for you. Needless to say: which end you belong to depends on whether you’ve enjoyed Guy Ritchie’s work before, especially the earlier caper classics.
