The Gentlemen

The Pre-Match Setup: An Aristocratic Kick-Off

Get comfy, because we've got some unpacking to do. The Gentlemen wastes no time in introducing us to Theo James's Eddie Horniman, a seemingly detached ex-military man, and member of a family who owns an enormous and historically pertinent estate. That is, until his father passes away and Eddie inherits more than just a country pile. Through his inheritance, Eddie discovers that his family's estate is home to the largest and most sophisticated cannabis growing operation. Oddly enough, the proprietors of this illicit cannabis farms, headed by the composed and shrewd Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario), most certainly have no intentions of leaving. What this means for Eddie isn't simply inheriting a country pile, it's inheriting an ongoing crisis of an estate where the illegal cannabis farms innovate a collision of the Baker Street super sleuths with organized crime. The brilliant Guy Ritchie brings to direction and co-writing, what you can expect from most films in this genre, quick, witty, and often violent stories. Like a championship bout, your not quite sure which fighter will land the final and decisive blow.

The Star Players: High-Caliber Performances Stealing the Show

The Gentlemen embodies a great series, and the acting is no exception. Of the many great actors, there’s a clear standout and an actor that’s very good at their character. Starting with the latter, Theo James fits the role of Eddie, our antihero, well. He can act nervous next to tough guys he’s dealing with, and he can quickly adjust to the class violence he’s surrounded by. The swagger Eddie has is great, and street smarts aren’t far behind. While I’m not sure, I think the actor that’s very good at their character is Kaya Scodelario who plays Susie Glass. Susie Glass leads the cast as the head of the operation. Susie Glass has cooperation but doesn’t let people cross her. Susie Glass is definitely the most dangerous one and the most interesting to watch. Finally, there’s the annoyingly hilarious brothered Freddy, played by Daniel Ings. Freddy’s brother gives great comedic relief. Overall, a great cast directed by Guy Ritchie shows that no director has a style like Ritchie because the world has that amount of detail.

The Momentum Swings: Where the Play Surges and Stalls

Like any good sporting event, there are periods in “The Gentlemen” when things get slow and when momentum quickly shifts. There are those moments when the show is clicking, when it combines its whip-smart dialogue and dark humor with rich criminal plots, where it’s just an entertaining and engaging watch. Especially in the earlier episodes, things move at a great pace. The obstacles that Eddie finds himself in draw you in with an obvious desire to find out how he’ll get out. The schemes, when combined with the quick, and often times shocking, dialogue, maintain an energy level that’s entertaining, while the slow reveal of the network adds depth and a dimension to the story. The show has a unique energy of its own. While other movie adaptations and expansions sometimes suffer from a lack of quality, critics still enjoyed “The Gentlemen”. The series has an excellent starting point, the plot of the first movie, and from there the series creates and maintains a wide scope from which to draw. The expansions of the plot also tend to lose the energy that made it enjoyable in the first place. For some audience members, the pleasure and engagement built by the mystery of the plot's architects was replaced with a feeling of letdown. While the show’s overall quality is strong, the slow, unsurprising, bogs down the enjoyment.

The Full-Time Scoreline: A Decisive Verdict

So, with the completion of all the back-and-forth with all the cunning plays and the unexpected twists, how do we score The Gentlemen? This one is absolutely a contender, and it has its merits. The Gentlemen is a rigid crime caper that will definitely tick the Guy Ritchie crime caper box - it delivers his usual type of fast paced entertainment, kills the game with laughter, and has some great visual moments the likes of which we are used to seeing from his films. As with just about every episode of this TV series that he has made, it doesn't always hit the same consistent highs episodes after episodes, but his tremendous directing and some stellar performances on the screen more than make up for it. The audience scoring has also been mostly positive, as a lot of people liked the ending, but had minor issues with the narrative. It is a series that knows what it is. It is a clear winner and a high-energy, darkly comedic crime drama for people looking for something to watch this evening.