The Gentlemen
The Gentlemen is a 2019 gangster film written, directed and produced by Guy Ritchie, who developed the story along with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant. It follows an American drug lord in England who is looking to sell his business, setting off a chain of blackmail and schemes to undermine him. The Gentlemen premiered at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema on December 3, 2019, and was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on January 1, 2020, by Entertainment Film Distributors, and in the United States on January 24, 2020, by STXfilms. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was also a commercial success, grossing $115 million worldwide against its $22 million budget. A spin-off television series was released by Netflix in 2024 with Theo James starring in the lead role.
What's he worth today? 100, 200, 500 million? But now the plot begins to thicken. He has reached a crossroads in his life. The middle class and the middle age, they've got to him. They've corrupted his appetite for the horrors. He's gone soft. He wanted to cash in his chips and get out of the game, and he seems to have found the perfect customer. Smash cut, please... to interior, a gala dinner. Just a few words to say thank you to Michael Pearson for his limitless generosity and time. Now, Mickey has been cultivating a special relationship with the erudite, learned and broad-minded Matthew Berger. Yes, Raymond, I do know about the Jewish billionaire cowboy, another slice of Americana creating drama in Angleterre. And finally to Matthew Berger blindsiding us with his donation to build the entire cognitive behavioral therapy unit.
The Gentlemen
Making a splash with the gentry. Oh, I like to make a splash whenever possible. Well, you also seem to understand the significance of a proper attire. Indeed I do. I believe a sense of ownership is vital in every aspect of life, perhaps never more so than when it comes to wardrobe. For every look there is a season, and for every season a strategy. [Fletcher] Now starts the alpha dance. They're not really talking about clothes, Raymond. Oh, fucking no. They're like a pair of old doggies sniffing round one another's intellectual assholes. It's a good old-fashioned cock-off, Raymond. Michael, I'm looking forward to doing business together.
The Gentlemen
Fresh from a farmyard pheasant shoot, these two are starting to like each other. It's looking good, Ray. It's looking fucking good. - [gunshot] - I'm impressed with what you've done with your enterprise. You see, try as I might, I can't work out how you do it, and bush is my game. How does anyone grow 50 tons of super skunk without letting anyone else know how they do it? I'm flattered to hear that from you, Matthew. I imagine that big brain of yours is sweating a stream of tears just trying to figure it out. Brilliance should be acknowledged. Mm. Run the numbers by me again. 200 million gross p.a., 100 million net. But your people know this already. They've swept the numbers for months now. The bottom line is I'll sell it to you for 400 million.
The Gentlemen
But you knew that already. Hop in. [Fletcher] Now, I can't be specific about the heroes and zeros, but there was a lot of money hanging in the balance. Question: What would it be worth to have the power to be able to pull the plug on an operation like that? Answer: A greedy man would want half the sale price, but a smart man would know that 20 million pounds was just about uncomfortable enough to make everyone feel comfortable.
The Gentlemen
This is yours, Fletcher. I need a man with your creativity, with your nose. Now, you know you're my favorite bloodhound. I just think it's really important to remember who you're talking to, Dave. Of course I remember, Fletcher. So just make absolutely sure the check doesn't disappoint this time.
The Gentlemen