After a decade of doing big- to medium-budget tentpoles with Aladdin, the Sherlock Holmes movies, criminally underrated The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the disappointment that was King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, filmmaker Guy Ritchie is finally returning to his U.K.-set  crime caper roots. The Gentlemen hits theaters this weekend, and the criminal romp through the underbelly of the London criminal world is a hugely entertaining time – but will definitely have its detractors (we’ll get to that later).

The story revolves around the wheelings and dealings of the marijuana empire of American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), who just wants to retire to spend time with his tough-as-nails wife, Rosalind (Michelle Dockery). When word gets out that he might be thinking of selling, the other sharks of London’s criminal world start circling, including Dry Eye (Henry Golding) and the head of his crime family and Lord George (Tom Wu) and American mogul Matthew (Jeremy Strong). To add to matters, Fletcher (Hugh Grant), a sleazy private investigator hired by tabloid editor Big Dave (Eddie Marsan) to dig up dirt on Mickey and destroy his reputation, would rather blackmail Mickey instead. Then there’s the wild card of Coach (Colin Farrell) and his “boys,” young street hooligans who accidentally get mixed up in Mickey’s empire thanks to the folly of youth. Through it all, Ray (Charlie Hunnam), Mickey’s calculating right-hand man, must quietly put out all the fires springing up from unexpected corners.

If it sounds like there are a lot of moving pieces, you’re right. So, does Guy Ritchie pull it off? Is it a satisfying return by Ritchie to his Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels days? Read on for three reasons to see The Gentlemen when it hits theaters this weekend.

1. The Incredible Chemistry Of The Cast

An ensemble cast of this size only works if the chemistry between the cast members works. If one person doesn’t pull their weight, they become the weak link in the net. This can be especially tough when you have characters that are as audacious and over-the-top as a few of the characters here, most notably Fletcher and Coach; the straight man foils often tend to fade into the background in the face of the characters that get to chew scenery. Not so the gentlemen of The Gentlemen. Every actor knows their place and their role, whether they’re meant to go big in a scene or be subtle, there to provide comedic relief or to be the stabilizing force. The two scene-stealers are the aforementioned Grant and Farrell. Fletcher is the framework through which the entire story runs and audiences will be tickled by the normally posh Grant putting on a heavy Cockney accent and acting like a complete sleazeball. And Farrell, well, Farrell has always been at his best when playing fast-talking oddballs.

But I need to give an apology and credit to Charlie Hunnam. I have admittedly long been a detractor of the English actor. “Why do they keep trying to make Charlie Hunnam happen?” I often asked. It’s not that I didn’t think he was talented; it’s that Hollywood kept trying to shoehorn him into a role that didn’t suit him: Tentpole leading man. Hunnam has always been to me best as a dramatic character actor rather than one meant to carry a tentpole franchise on his shoulders. But his support role in The Gentlemen plays to his strengths: Ray is the glue that holds everything together. Fletcher might be the bombastic conman telling the story, but Ray is the one who anchors the action and does the dirty work for Mickey Pearson. Without him, Pearson’s empire falls apart, and without Hunnam’s calm influence, so does the movie. Hunnam channels his Sons of Anarchy swagger and controlled menace in every scene and he provides the necessary counterweight to balance out the flamboyant Coach and Fletcher. It’s one of the rare times in a modern movie in which the straight man is as magnetic and holds your attention as firmly as the comedic characters. More of this from Hunnam, please.

2. The Comedic Timing Is *Chef’s Kiss*

As mentioned, the comedy in the movie undercuts everything. Zany characters are put in outlandish situations and, through events both accidental and contrived, are forced to navigate a complex situation full of human error and stupidity. Guy Ritchie revels in the absurd, and there are few things more absurd than Fletcher’s entire existence, the unfortunate accidents that befall Mickey’s hapless crew, or Colin Farrell just being peak weird Colin Farrell. The delivery of a few lines in the movie are the kind that elicit such loud laughter you miss the next line of dialogue. One scene in particular involved Coach and Ray’s reactions to a sticky situation reminiscent of Black Mirror‘s pilot episode. Hunnam’s deadpan dumbfoundedness and Farrell’s colorful incredulity absolutely sold the delivery of a completely over-the-top situation.

However, a word of caution. This is not a movie that cares about delicate sensibilities. There is absolutely racist language used, most notably by Fletcher in a rant about the Chinese crime family. But the intent isn’t to degrade or disparage the Asian characters in the movie, but to show what an absolute buffoon, a complete idiot, an uncouth and inept wannabe tough guy the PI is. Fletcher is a joke, a guppy among sharks who thinks he’s a barracuda, and his ignorance is on full display in that moment. He’s the butt of the joke, he just doesn’t know it. Similar moments happen a few times in the movie, though not to as obvious a degree, and always meant to convey buffoonery from the speaker rather than disparaging the target. Still, the language is exceptionally harsh and un-PC at times. If that doesn’t bother you, great. But it’s understandable why some might be uncomfortable or view it through a different lens than I do. Keep that in mind.

3. It’s Stylish As Hell

You have to hand it to Guy Ritchie; he knows how to make crime look good. His movies are almost always visually elegant and stylish as anything and The Gentlemen pays attention to every sumptuous detail with an exacting eye. Ritchie is a rare filmmaker who pays as much attention to the clothes he puts his actors in as anything else. Almost every frame of The Gentlemen could be pulled from a GQ photoshoot. In Ritchie’s world, if you’re going to do crime, you do it with style. In one scene, Dockery slinks across a garage shop floor in a slim black jumpsuit, the camera zooming in on the cherry red soles of her Louboutins. McConaughey trades one bespoke three-piece suit for another, wearing the clothes of a gentleman while not being one. Hunnam, as his right-hand man, is sharp in tweed vests with precisely rolled shirtsleeves and tailored coats. Even Farrell and his crew of street hooligans-turned-petty criminals have a strong visual aesthetic. They might be chavs, but they’re chavs who know how to coordinate plaid tracksuits and newsboy caps. All dress in the impeccable armor of the gentleman criminal, and it makes for a movie that is a joy to watch for any costume junkie.

All-in-all, The Gentlemen is a wildly entertaining caper and a return to form for Ritchie. Some might be put off by the unrepentant humor in the film, but for those who are willing to reframe it in the context of the movie, it makes for a great time at the theater.

The Gentlemen is in theaters on Friday, January 25th. Get tickets here. 

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