In his latest Netflix series, Guy Ritchie reaffirms his love for tough characters embroiled in absurdly hilarious schemes often filled with unchecked violence and chaotic humour. This insanely delightful series is Ritchie’s television debut, and a reimagining of a comparatively unknown 2019 motion picture. From Thursday, March 7th, “The Gentlemen” will be available on Netflix and promises a raucous start imbued with the distinctive Ritchie trademarks that came to prominence in the ‘90s with “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”. Classic characteristics include bumbling blue-bloods, Liverpool-based lawbreakers dabbling in evangelical Christianity, and Vinnie Jones in the role of an emotional caretaker who’s always armed with a substantial firearm. It’s classic Ritchie, exaggeratedly entertaining.
It would be naive to expect delicate nuances in a Guy Ritchie creation, and “The Gentlemen” doesn’t disappoint in serving large smatterings of his style. We meet Eddie Horniman, played by Theo James from “White Lotus”, a British military man on UN service, who returns to his opulent family residence when his extremely wealthy father falls sick. The Horniman fortune, expected to pass on to Eddie’s reprobate elder brother Freddy, surprises everyone by bequeathing to the more sensible Eddie. Freddy is left shocked and terrified, since he owes gigantic sums of money to a Liverpool drug mob, who consider their drug trade and annihilation of adversaries as divinely sanctioned work.
Eddie has a plan: divest the huge estate and repay Freddy’s debts. However, to add complicity, his father has been letting the land to a local marijuana mafia overseen by Bobby Glass, interpreted by Ray Winstone. If Eddie sells the land, their cannabis crop is ruined, a situation aptly summarised by Bobby’s daughter, Susie, played by Kaya Scodelario.
Consequently, bedlam ensues, as Eddie endeavours on saving the luckless Horniman clan from a perilous confrontation with the resurrected Scousers, while maintaining peace with the Glass clan and keeping the errant Freddy under control. One particular outstanding scene involves a man garbed as a lively chicken, appearing ridiculous until a startling revelation shocks the audience.
Ultimately, the crux of the matter is individuals acting foolishly. However, Ritchie recounts the tale with blatant delight and a disrespectful attitude, maintaining a unique combination of extreme violence and thug-like humour. “The Gentlemen” is a premium melee of snobs and is so captivating that one has to consciously resist the urge to continue watching.