“The Gentlemen is a thrilling ride that ends up being better than the original film. With great plot twists, memorable characters and the right balance between humour and tension, this is peak Guy Ritchie. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario both shine in this excellent gangster-drug series but Giancarlo Espositio is the real scene stealer.”
The Gentlemen is a spin-off series of the 2019 film of the same name, both from filmmaker Guy Ritchie. The 8-episode series releases globally on March 7 on Netflix.
A SPIN-OFF
The Gentlemen film has an all-star cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. It is an entertaining gangster film and one of my favourite films from Guy Ritchie. And you would imagine that since this series is a spin-off we would see some of the characters from the film. However, none of the cast from the original film is coming back. At first, that may sound disappointing. So, what’s the link to the film you may ask? It shares a similar setting with a weed empire and the British aristocracy. With this series, Guy Ritchie tells a new story with new characters. In fact, I am going to say it right away – it is even better than the film. Maybe the only thing missing in this series is the one and only Hugh Grant from the original film.
A WORLD OF CRIMINALS
The Gentlemen follows Eddie Horniman (Theo James) who unexpectedly inherits his father country estate. However, he discovers that the Glass family has a weed plantation underneath his estate. Eddie is determined to extricate his family from this situation but in trying to do so, he has to play the game of these criminal. He has to deal with his obnoxious brother Freddie (Daniel Ings) who keeps screwing-up. But most importantly, he has to work with Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) who operates the plantation as her father Bobby (Ray Winstone) is in prison.
Susie and Eddie create what seems to be an unlikely team. Susie is a smart and ruthless businesswoman who gets things done. Even though Eddie is a gentleman who wants out of this, he gets a taste of the criminal world and we discover that maybe, he is not too dissimilar from Susie. There is an interesting team dynamic between the two as she further pulls him into her shenanigans. In fact, I would say the interactions between the two is the heart of the series. It is all about them and how they have to work together in order to reach their respective goals.
A GUY RITCHIE SERIES
This series is a back to basics for Guy Ritchie. Not in terms of his stylish editing but in terms of storytelling and his directorial style which results in a fast-paced series. Indeed, The Gentlemen features memorable characters, Ritchie’s usual dialogue with the right touch of humour and great plot twists with an array of criminals like you can find his crime films. There is also an exploration of the British class consciousness. It’s all things that Ritchie masters with the team who helped him bring this series to life. Eddie and Susie are two characters who are definitely memorable. The way these characters dress, the way they talk, their presence, you will remember them. Even Freddie the screw-up brother is memorable in his own way. He has several standout scenes!
There is never a dull moment. From start to finish, it is a thrilling ride. As usual with Ritchie, there is the right balance between humour and tension. Undoubtedly, this series is peak Guy Ritchie. His style surely works for the TV series medium. And I can only hope we get to see more series from him.
CAST
Moreover, Theo James is a talented actor who deserves more recognition. I thought he was the right pick for Four in the Divergent films but he wasn’t given the right scripts to work with. With The Gentlemen, he shines as the lead. He has the British class and presence that you need for such a character. Kaya Scodelario is excellent in her role. The constant unpredictability of her character can be felt throughout her performance. She plays Susie in a way that you can never tell her true intentions. Thus, it leaves some of her actions, some of her lines open to interpretation. You can see her as a friend to Eddie’s family, a love interest for him and/or an opponent. The two make quite the team.
On top of that, Daniel Ings knows how to play the obnoxious brother of Eddie, you will love to hate him! Giancarlo Esposito may not have a lot of screen time but when he is there, he is a scene-stealer. Ray Winstone also excels at playing this head of a criminal family.
VERDICT
The Gentlemen is a thrilling ride that ends up being better than the original film. With great plot twists, memorable characters and the right balance between humour and tension, this is peak Guy Ritchie. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario both shine in this excellent gangster-drug series but Giancarlo Espositio is the real scene stealer.
The Gentlemen releases March 7 on Netflix.
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