The Gentlemen (2024) Series Review

RATING: 7.5/10

INNOVATIVE English director Guy Ritchie returns to our screens with his first streaming series. And just like any good Guy film, this Netflix exclusive features plenty of action, comedy, and gentlemanly affairs not suitable for all ages.

After unexpectedly becoming sole inheritor to his father's fortuitous estate, straight-up solider Eddie Horniman (Theo James) must deal with his late father's "baggage" upon discovering the estate is home to a drug empire run by the legendary Michael Pearson. But when his jealous older brother Freddy (Daniel Ings) makes some questionable financial decisions, Eddie, with the help of gangster Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario), must become a lion in the jungle that is the British crime world.

Appropriately named after Guy Ritchie's 2019 hit, The Gentlemen takes place in the same world as the film, employing many of the elements seen in not only the 2019 movie, but his films of old such as Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Like his previous works, contemporary transitions and rapid time displacements are aplenty, and while these have been used to enhance the plot in the past, they feel out of place in this series - but in a good way. With the lead character being a newbie to the British crime world, Ritchie's avant-garde style is minimal in the beginning, only becoming more and more involved as the series, and Eddie's involvement in the British underworld, progresses.

Theo James steps into the leading role of Eddie Horniman in this Gentlemen expander, borrowing hints of his bold, confident persona from hit series The White Lotus to create a character who becomes instantly likeable from the get-go, especially when compared to his detestable older brother Freddy. By making Daniel Ings' Freddy as unlikeable as possible, Ritchie managed to enhance the likeability of not only Eddie, but Freddy as well due to the fact that there is only room for him to grow as a person as the eight-episode series progresses; a smart decision by the British director.

Rounding out the main trio is professional gangster Susie Glass, whose performance by Kaya Scodelario is the breakout of the series. Scodelario carries much of the show early on, contributing to many of the comedic and climatic scenes by playing a near-perfect straight woman alongside any gangster she encounters.

The Gentlemen isn't one of Guy Ritchie's all-timers, but it is a welcome spin-off to what was one of his best films. It feels repetitive to talk about Ritchie's filmography, but this Netflix series is exactly what you would expect out of the pioneer of British crime flicks - ruthless action, dark and witty humour, and plenty of criminal class. If you're searching for your next Netflix binge, The Gentlemen will have you locked and stocked on the couch for its entire eight episodes.