I couldn’t stop watching Netflix’s The Gentlemen, and I’m not even sure if it’s any good
It took me less than a week to chew through it The gentlemen, a new Netflix series based on the premise of Guy Richie’s film of the same name. But despite my hunger for it, I’m still not convinced The gentlemen is all so good.
Just like the movie, the core of conceit Mr marijuana farms are being built under the land of stately homes in England; the farms are kept out of sight and the cash-strapped landed gentry receive money to keep their estate running.
Instead of focusing the action on a weed baron and his slick henchman as they navigate a potential takeover and the prying eyes of a corrupt private investigator, the Netflix series focuses on a newly minted Duke of Halstead, one Edward “Eddie” Horniman , who is suddenly withdrawn from the army to take over his father’s estate after his older brother, the future heir, is passed over.
A takeover is still in the cards, but the Duke (played by Theo James from The deviant series fame) must keep the current residents – who happen to be run by a prominent London crime syndicate – happy, while also trying to wrest his estate from a role in a massive cannabis farm.
The premise is great and would work well as a sequel to the original The gentlemen; Not that such a sequel is necessary, as Richie’s films are often very isolated. However, I wasn’t sure if the plot could span eight episodes.
Sniffing on stories
And I’m still not sure.
A lot happens in the Netflix series, with the Duke inevitably coming into contact with the British criminal underworld, with consequences that are both terrible and comical. But the show bounces around a lot – in the first episode alone, the Duke is introduced to Susie Glass (played by a Kaya Scodelario from Hides fame) a second man in command of the Marijuana Organisation, a brutal Liverpool gang with twisted religious overtones, and Stanley Johnston (played by Break bad‘s Giancarlo Esposito), a polite billionaire drug lord who wants to take over the pot business from the Duke and Glass.
So there’s enough happening quickly to keep my attention, which is a hallmark of Richie’s gangster films. But while the tight pacing of a Richie film lends itself to a decent array of characters and moving parts, the seams of interwoven characters begin to unravel when stretched out over a series.
With the story written by Richie, there are a lot of references to his previous gangster films; we see foolish upper class people attending seedy underground boxing matches, cockney gangsters galore, Irish travelers, Vinnie Jones and more. It’s hard to stop watching wondering what type of gangster we’ve seen Jerking And Lock, Stock and two smoking barrels will appear next.
However, none of these have enough time to have much impact. Outside of a scene-chewing performance from actor and comedian Peter Serafinowicz as a ruthless Scouse gangster with a twisted sense of justice, other elements of Mr feeling slightly undercooked.
The Liverpool gang seems set up as a fun adversary to the Duke and Glass, especially considering that their leader, The Gospel, has a chilling habit of preaching the Bible while dispatching his victims. However, the potential for a story to blossom here, complete with darkly amusing deaths, never takes root.
Then we have Stanley Johnston, endowed with the refined menace previously seen in Esposito’s portrayal of Stanford Edgar in The boys and Gus Fring enter You better call Saul. It’s nice to see Vinnie Jones playing enigmatic characters again, but his story is… Mr is so undercooked that it would probably cause a salmonella.
Too often I felt like compelling storylines were just setting up to go wherever they went The gentlemen threw more characters into the mix. I won’t claim that Richie’s films have very nuanced and layered characters, but in a short, sharp film that’s fine – in a series I need more.
That’s impossible to say Mr wasn’t fun, as there were some fun subplots following pot growing expert Jimmy and the Duke’s hapless brother Freddy. And there’s a comedic edge to the series, which means you’re not meant to take it too seriously, which makes for The gentlemen very edible.
No characters to leave me swept away
However, my problem with The gentlemen‘s pace also affects the characters. Esposito is always great in his scenes when he’s underused, but I’m not convinced by James’ portrayal of the Duke of Halstead – I can’t tell if he’s trying to play a fish out of water or a cool upper classman. James Bond; sometimes it’s a little too smooth. Scodelario’s Susie Glass uses a convincing cockney accent that is far from comparable Skins’ Effy Stonem, all too often she feels like an imitation of Michelle Dockery’s Rosalind Pearson Mr movie; I never felt like there was much growth or depth to Glass, despite her showing up in every episode.
Somewhat two-dimensional characters framed in glamorous locations make me feel The gentlemen is more of a side pastiche of the film; If this were the seedy side of the internet, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned into an NSFW parody.
But there is fun to be had with some of the minor characters. The cocaine-addicted Freddy, played by Daniel Ings, is wonderfully chaotic. Elsewhere, Jimmy Vu offers innocence mixed with stoner logic. It’s also nice to see seasoned TV actors popping up, including Max Beesley – a veteran of British drama – and Kristofer Hivju, who many will know as Game of Thrones‘Tormund Giantsbane.
This and the constant urge to see what Richie-isms will bring next episode kept me going through it The gentlemen. And if you’re a fan of his previous gangster films, then the Netflix series will probably appeal to you.
But then the metaphorical final curtain fell The gentlemen, I felt a little unsatiated. As I walked to the side, it felt like The gentlemen lacked a killer hook, probably because Hugh Grant doesn’t play a seedy cockney private detective who steals every scene.
There are murmurs of a second series, so maybe that’s true The gentlemen will find its footing, but right now it falls short of the film’s slick dark comedy, but it’s still fine as fodder for a little low-stakes binge-watching.