We went to see ‘The Gentlemen’ last night. As you would expect with a Guy Richie film, it involved drugs, Britain’s underworld, and several easy to follow plotlines.

Featuring a sophisticated, Oxford educated American drug lord (Mickey Pearson) an underhand Jewish businessman, Chinese wannabe drug lords, the chav MMA members of a boxing club run by a comically dodgy Irishman, and you can see where it is heading,

However, the surprise element is the  lead role, a newspaper hack called Fletcher who has learnt of Pearson selling up for the sake of respectability at a price of £400 million. Fletcher who had been tracking Pearson for a newspaper sting, has seen an opportunity to make £20 million from the deal.

In keeping with Richie’s love of roles that don’t fit the stereotype of the actor, it is somewhat unusual to see Hugh Grant playing the part of a spiv. However, it is a role he relishes, and I have to say he plays it with absolute aplomb and great comedy timing. Who’d have thought it?

Colin Firth (known simply as coach) is also funny and the film unfolds into a storyline that is comically implausible. However, it is well worth it if you like a few easy chuckles that come with events that are in effect, slapstick.

I enjoyed the film overall because it is of that nature where you don’t really have to remain too highly focused to stay with the plot. Richie films are like a 100-piece jigsaw compared to a 1000-piece Tarantino one; they don’t really try to be anything else.

As with Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrells, Snatch and Rock ‘n’ Rolla, you know what is coming in this film. However, with clever camera work, unique characters, plenty of gags and gratuitous and comedy violence, I found it a good bit of escapism; especially at a time when winter is dragging on and good news stories are thin on the ground.

I imagine haughty film critics who know best, won’t like this film but sometimes a simplistic and fun plot is all I require. I watch plenty enough dark stuff, so it was a nice break.

The Gentleman. It wasn’t bad.