User reviews

No captions' flat affect unsatisfying ending

"The Merry Gentleman" is a very strange film. It also is a very unsatisfying one because I liked so much of it and the film's ending really did not deliver.

The film is about an unlikely friendship that develops between a suicidal assassin (Michael Keaton) and a woman, Kate (Kelly MacDonald), who has been abused by her partner. What links them is tenuous and the ending really, really not at all what I'd hoped. This is a real shame, as the movie, up until that point, has terrific and highly original. It also never really delved into Keaton's character well enough. His motivation, in particular, is confusing to say the least.

Overall, had the ending been better, this would have been an excellent film. As it is, the story could really have used a bit of work...though there is still enough to this story to make it worth seeing.

The Merry Gentlemen has the makings, and perhaps even the trappings, of a predictable neo-noir involving a hit-man (Michael Keaton), a detective (Bastounes) and the woman that they're both eying (Kelly MacDonald), and the elements of crime floating all about. But Keaton brings to the table as a first-time director an absolutely unbreakable grasp of what makes the scene(s) work from an actor's stand-point. Ironically for an actor who usually makes his mark in movies as someone with a lot of nervous energy or something that makes him quirky or mysterious (i.e. Batman/Bruce Wayne, Beetlejuice, Jackie Brown), here he's subdued, almost like Alain Deleon in Melville's movies. He doesn't say much, but when he does you listen, especially as his character Logan has pneumonia or carries a Christmas tree.

On his own end Keaton's got his character covered wonderfully. That leaves the other two, and one other actor that should be noted. MacDonald is quickly becoming an example of a perfect character actress. It's hard for me to see her becoming a full-blown A-list star, even a decade or more after she hit the scene in her debut in Trainspotting, but when she comes into a role, usually in the supporting variety (most recently No Country for Old Men and Choke) you feel her presence incredibly. She's so vulnerable and adorable, so keen on how her character should be in every moment, as someone who's fragile, been messed with by her husband, but wants to have her space while at the same time being friendly to both the lonely hit-man and the desperate cop. It's hard for me to see a flaw in her performance, and maybe helps elevate things another notch or two. Ditto for Bastounes, one of those actors you swear you've seen somewhere else but actually has only been in one (or none) features before this. He, too, makes a mark playing off both MacDonald like at the restaurant or Keaton in a pivotal scene at the tailor.

There's another actor I should also credit, though at the moment I forget his name: he plays MacDonald's character's husband, and he appears out of the darkness in a scene, a recovering abuser with a newfound Jesus addiction who tries to win back his wife's heart as she holds a knife to him. It's one of the best, creepiest dramatic scenes I've yet seen this year. And while I praise his and the other principles performances, the rest of the film around them is... well, good, watchable, though nothing wholly remarkable. At times Keaton is still finding his footing with style, keeping some shots engaging and others just doing a big pan or reveal where it wouldn't be necessary. It's competent work, though, and I would hope to see something else from him; at the least he reveals himself such a fantastic director of his fellow actors (not least of which himself, though as Eastwood shows that's easier done than said) that he may have found a new calling. It's an A-grade acting job amid a decent little B-movie. 7.5/10

I really enjoyed this movie for a couple of reasons. Michael Keaton played a really good hit man, and the movie style I thought was a throwback to the 1950's era movies that were crime related. The movie had that very dark and moody style, with a great edge to the movie style. It keeps you anticipating what is going to happen next.

The movie also had a plot with the damsel in distress running away from her abusive relationship. You just knew her ex-lover was going to cross paths with her again at some point. I also thought Michael Keaton did an admirable job of directing himself in the movie, and providing his cast with opportunities to share the stage with him and also have a good performance. Bobby Cannavale played the frustrated and sometimes violent ex-lover, with a troubled soul. On the down side, the movie was a bit slow during certain parts, but the ending was better than I actually expected and was a nice surprise. This movie is well worth a watch and I would recommend seeing it.

Just a disappointing ending. Not really sure what else could have happened though. If anything, different aged characters may have worked better. Kelly and her character just seemed to young for the role though she was very good in it.

Frank Logan (Keaton) is a hit man and he suspects Kate (MacDonald) can place him at the scene of his last hit.

This is slow moving, but if you look at it as a cat and mouse game it's a non-issue. The thing that really saves this movie is Kate's Scottish accent. You cannot get enough of it regardless or what else is going on. Okay, the movie would save itself anyway, but when Kate speaks, you listen because you really don't know anything about her, and that accent is pure heaven. Maybe it is the accent.

The title is somewhat misleading. There is nothing merry about Frank Logan as you will see. Merry is used because it is Christmas time and he does act the part of a gentleman. See? Seems it is all a matter of some misdirection, but only in the title, not in the story.

This is Michael Keaton's first attempt at directing and since I enjoyed the movie, I'd say he did a good job of it. He brought the right amount of suspense and tension throughout the story. And, to have selected Kelly MacDonald to play Kate, with that accent is pure genius. I guess you can tell I really like the Scottish accent.

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, some

Kate Frazier (Kelly Macdonald) escapes from her abusive policeman husband Michael (Bobby Cannavale). She moves to Chicago living an isolated life avoiding questions about her black eye. Professional assassin Frank Logan (Michael Keaton) is becoming suicidal. She sees his silhouette after his latest kill. Police detective Murcheson takes an interest in her. She befriends Frank over a Christmas tree, not knowing his real job.

It's a sad, slow march in the first half. Macdonald and Keaton keep the interest quite well. Murcheson needs a more compelling actor. Keaton takes his first step into directing. He has a steady and confident hand. His performance has the quiet intensity. Cannavale has a great threatening sensibility. I would love to see Keaton attempt another directing gig.

I have a confession: I adore Kelly Macdonald's Scottish accent. It makes me go all weak in the knees, sends my heart aflutter.

She is the reason I went to see "The Merry Gentleman." I like Michael Keaton, too, and thought his performance in "Game 6" (2005) was exceptionally good. I wasn't too sure how good a director he would be, but after watching "The Merry Gentleman," I can safely say that Keaton is a very good filmmaker.

The story of "The Merry Gentleman" could very well point to all the trappings of a formula: An abused woman inadvertently sees a hit man and then he befriends her with obvious intent.

Given filmmakers' penchant these days to turn this sort of subject matter into yet another Tarantino or Guy Ritchie clone, the calmness with which "The Merry Gentleman" unfolds comes as a wonderful surprise.

I realize that film-goers who want to see every hit man movie turned into another fast-talking Tarantino imitation might be sorely disappointed or even bored by "The Merry Gentleman." This film takes its time. It's in no hurry to get where it's going and it doesn't pander to its audience with needless bloodshed, non sequitur riffs or slam-bang car chases. This film might be about a hit man and the witness, but it is not an action film. This really is a splendid character study, paced deliberately so that we would get to know, understand, appreciate and grow to love these people.

This film relies on its two main characters, Frank (Keaton) and Kate (Macdonald), to carry the film. And these two fine actors do not disappoint. Their scenes together are strikingly powerful, even when they say little. And there are many such moments in this film. Even their meet-cute, which could very well have turned into a typically corny moment, is handled with grace, charm and just enough humor to make you smile.

This is a drama about human connections, more than anything else. An unconventional love story as Frank and Kate, a depressed professional killer and the mousy abused woman, slowly work their way through each other lives, through the uncomfortable moments, trying to steal moments they can share.

Keaton could very easily have played Frank for a chuckle or two, given him a frenetic edge, as he often has in films. Instead, he plays him low-key. Perhaps too low-key, some could argue, but that is what I loved about his character. He really is more than a man struggling with the morality of what he does; he's a man struggling with life and all its vagaries. What he does for a living seems almost inconsequential to his struggles. Keaton finds the fine edges to his character and realizes there's more to reveal in what Frank doesn't say than in what he does. There's nothing false about Frank's weariness or sadness. This is truly a finely-tuned and subtle performance by Keaton - one of his very best.

Macdonald is completely charming as Kate. Her glorious accent aside, she brings a delightful sweetness to her role. This is a real woman with genuine problems and we understand Frank's desire - and even need - to take care of her. She has suffered much and it all seems so unfair that such a creature would be in such pain. Macdonald is marvelous. She has always been a remarkably astute actress capable of immediately drawing the audience to her. Just watch her in "The Girl in the Cafe" (2005) and you will promptly fall in love with her. She also gave the severely under-praised performance in "No Country For Old Men" (2007). This is yet another wonderful performance from a terribly under-appreciated actress. Macdonald never disappoints.

There are two fine supporting performances - from Bobby Cannavale as Kate's husband, and Tom Bastounes, as a cop investigating Frank's killings and also harboring a crush on Kate. Cannavale's outburst seems a bit noisy for a film this solemn, but he makes it work. And Bastounes, as a not-too-tidy cop, is just priceless. His dinner scenes with Kate contain terrific bits of acting.

At a time when "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "Terminator Salvation," "Public Enemies" and other Hollywood films gain all the attention, it is too bad that a film such as "The Merry Gentleman" seemingly just gets lost in the shuffle.

This is a gem of a film. It is not for anyone seeking an adrenaline rush. But is for those seeking a tender, sweet, deeply moving, at times startling film about deeply damaged people and their attempts to find some sort of solace, happiness and meaning in this life. "The Merry Gentleman" is a richly rewarding experience for those who appreciate good movies.

I applaud Keaton for taking his shot behind the camera. However, when I watched the film, I did not know he had directed it. But sometimes, as an audience member, you simply get the feeling about 10-15 minutes in, that you may not in very reliable, or skilled hands. That was the case with The Merry Gentleman.

The problems mainly lay with the script. There are FAR too many improbabilities and convenient coincidences in the story to make it believable, and these start to become more and more noticeable as the film goes on. By the time I got half-way through the film, I still didn't have much of an idea of what the central motive of either character was, especially Michael Keaton, and after awhile, I began to stop caring.

Michael Keaton plays a professional hit-man, though we never know for who, or why, or even anything about his targets. All we know is that he appears to be terribly sad about it. He is suicidal (the way his first attempt is foiled is practically out of a Buster Keaton comedy), but I would think that a character who was a professional hit-man would come up with far simpler and effective methods to off himself than the ones he attempts in the movie. A gun, maybe? Also, if he's so tortured about what he does, wouldn't make sense for him to kill himself BEFORE you completes another job?? We never really find out much about this character as he slowly moves through the film mumbling a word here or a word there. Even in a scene in a hospital scene that appears to be inserted into the film to try and give the audience some idea of who this character is, we still get nothing...and that nothing takes a whole lot of time to get to.

There is a strange plot twist in the 2nd half of the film, where writer tries to tie up the loose end of the abusive husband. All I can say is that it involves yet another convenient coincidence involving a business card to a local hotel.

Kelly McDonald, a fine actress, is really the lead of the film, but even here the writer didn't give her character much logic to work with. The film opens with her leaving her abusive husband after he gives her a nasty shiner. Somehow, within a few days, she is suddenly in a new city, with a new job. Just like that. How this all happened, again is a mystery. Even though the black eye is something she'd rather hide and not talk about, she bizarrely shows up at an office Christmas party where she certainly must know that she'll be asked about it repeatedly (which, of course, she is) . Obviously not wanting to jump into any new relationships due to her abusive past, she rejects the advances of a few of her new co- workers, but then inexplicably falls for Michael Keaton's character after one brief run-in, who, in their first meeting, comes off as a bit, well....creepy. For a smart girl, she also seems completely clueless that a police officer investigating a case she's involved in as a witness, is interested in her romantically. The light takes a while to go on apparently.

All and all, there's never enough of anyone's life to really dig into, but more a 2-dimensional picture of it all. The look and tone of the film is a bit of a mess. There is a slew of completely unmotivated camera moves and cuts that defy all logic, almost as if Keaton was terrified of having the film look too plain. As a result, it winds up being a mishmash of different styles that belong in a dozen different films. This could also be said of the mind-boggling score and music cues. In the end, it seems like the film really didn't know what it wanted to be; sometimes a gritty drama, sometimes a Billy Wilder comedy, sometimes a teary melodrama, and sometimes a Basic Instinct-type thriller. Though the last 20 minutes of the film do actually do manage to build some tension through proper pacing, the ending is simply befuddling. There's a difference between leaving an ending open because you want to challenge the audience into thinking about what might happen, and leaving an ending open because you simply can't come up with a proper or satisfying one. I can only imagine that this film got made because the writer knew Keaton, Keaton signed on to play the (quite undeveloped) lead role, and the financing followed from there.

The main character doesn't say a word for the first half hour. But in that half hour, if we're paying attention, we get more insight into the depths of a man's soul than if we had just read his 500-page autobiography.

The Merry Gentleman is billed as a crime drama, but that label hardly does it justice. The same way "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" broke the spy genre, the same way "2001: A Space Odyssey" broke the scifi genre, the same way "Pink Floyd -The Wall" ain't no average musical, this film is anything but your average crime drama. For starters, there's not a single car chase, gunfight, blimp explosion or any of the standard crime drama clichés. Instead, the tension & suspense is masterfully built around secrets. We begin with a secret which only the main character and the audience know. Then there is a secret which the 2nd character only knows (which the audience must slowly piece together). And finally, we have the main character's ultimate secret which is so cryptically presented that it may take you a few days of introspection before you figure it out.

This film is very much like a challenging poem whose meaning is elusive at first glance but whose mood & style sinks into your mind over time. Dialogue is sparse, but every line packs a whollop. In particular, pay attention to the analogy of ghosts & angels which crops up several times both verbally & visually. One of the characters says something like "Ghosts and angels are the same, except ghosts are haunted while angels are blessed." OK, it may not mean much at first, but by the end of the film the significance is absolutely beautiful.

Which brings me to the cinematography: absolutely beautiful. I'm no film school student, but I know what images affect me, and these scenes certainly did. Contrast (gleaming white snowflakes at night), perspective (long corridors at the morgue), symmetry (a lonely theatre marquee) and surrealism (a Christmas tree burning in a wheat field) are just some of the artistic touches you have in store. I can honestly say that I cannot think of a finer directoral debut than Michael Keaton in The Merry Gentleman.

I won't even get into the first rate acting, the haunting musical score, or Katie's adorable accent. This movie is just about perfect. The only reason why I'm giving it only 8 stars instead of 10 is that I'm a real hardass.

By the way, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER. DO NOT READ THE DVD DESCRIPTION. AVOID ALL DISCUSSION OF PLOT. This movie is best enjoyed if you know absolutely nothing about the story. The challenge (and the fun) will be even greater.

Mixed genre films can be tricky. We wonder if they know what they are. The Merry Gentleman is mostly a noir character piece, but it has incongruous moments where it seems like a boy-meets-girl romance, a sentimental holiday film with religious undertones, or a suspense thriller. It's mostly redeemed by decent performances, although Kelly MacDonald seems overly sweet, with her cloying naivete and exaggerated Scottish accent, and Michael Keaton is reserved and laconic to the point of being overdone. I found Tom Bastounes to be the most believable character, a sloppy, fumbling, but smart cop who figures out the "mystery." The film moves slowly and deliberately, but there's enough suspense to maintain our patience. However, suspense requires a payoff, and The Merry Gentleman has an ambiguous ending. Ambiguity, I can deal with, but there's also something inexplicable. Who is the man getting out of the car at the end? I also saw no need for the romantic interlude in the middle, with some whining pop singer on the soundtrack. It's a jarring shift in mood, and it's also annoying. Why do directors do this? Overall, though, there's enough intrigue and atmosphere to sustain our interest. I recommend it for viewers in an introspective mood.

Intriguing and entertaining movie until the very end. Dissatisfying ending.

"I'd say we've been pretty good for one another," Kate (Kelly Macdonald)

Well, not quite, but that statement is consistent with naïve young Brit Kate's cluelessness since she's talking to an accomplished assassin, Frank (Michael Keaton), whom she recently befriended and believes to be a good Samaritan. But that sense of being just a bit out of it is characteristic of Michael Keaton's first directorial effort, The Merry Gentleman, as well.

I could feel Keaton struggling to offer a thriller in the David Mamet tradition (without his caustic language) with minimalist dialogue and exposition and a concentration on character. Without Mamet's poetic language, Keaton is left with spare dialogue that barely explains the motivations for abuse and murder involving more than one character.

It is, however, mostly Kate I wanted to know, and I was not fulfilled because of her limited capacity to speak loud and clear. Caught as she is between the growing interest of Detective Dave Murcheson (Tom Bastounes) and Frank, and her abusive husband, this woman causes a great deal of trouble by just being beautiful, caring, and out there. And ignorant of her charm and the kind of rogue male she is attracted to.

Among the several motifs Keaton rams through, the idea of "good" appears regularly. Calling someone good who is not is a cheap way of doubling up on irony but doing little to expand the meaning of "bad." Most of all I am disappointed in the ending. Some closure is necessary in most fiction.

Not a bad film; just not great.

I did like the movie, I rated it 7... there is a lot of human insight and I always enjoy when characters seem like real, but interesting people, and for the most part they do.

Keaton not usually my favorite (although I loved Pacific Heights), and he's uneven in this role as well, overacting.

Still all the foundation was there for this to be not just a good but great movie and, for me at least, it wasn't.

Escaping from an abusive marriage, sweet, caring, life loving Kate (Kelly MacDonald) moves to Chicago to start anew. Leaving her office one night she sees a man standing on the roof of the building opposite apparently about to commit suicide and accidentally stops him. This is Frank (Michael Keaton), a professional hit man who is contemplating suicide, yet whose life will now change as he gets closer to his saviour. Difficulties follow though as detectives investigate the man Frank had just killed from his rooftop position plus, one of the cops, Murcheson (Tom Bastounes) takes a fancy to Kate.

Directorial debut from Keaton, this mixes the brutal life of a killer with the a heart warming, 'It's a Wonderful Life' type story with gentle compassionate Macdonald at its core. Here, she gently breaks the hearts of the two totally unsuitable men she is surrounded by who ultimately cannot escape their seedy lives to be with her - will love conquer all? Charming, easy to watch romance more than thriller, with a number of fine performances particularly from MacDonald and Keaton. A good directorial debut.

Before "Knox Goes Away" Michael Keaton had only directed 2008's moody crime drama "The Merry Gentleman" - in which he ALSO starred as a troubled hit-man. Escaping hubbie Bobby Cannavale's domestic abuse, kindly Kelly Macdonald (great) starts a new life in Chicago where she befriends Keaton, not knowing he's a suicidal killer whose interest in her may blur between professional & romantic (as may that of cop Tom Bastounes). Despite its Christmas setting (and title) it's not particularly festive, nor is it a particular thriller, but Ron Lazzeretti's character-driven screenplay (his 2nd & last) IS quietly engaging. It may not be what everyone expects, but it's not bad at all.

The Merry Gentleman (Dir: Michael Keaton): The word on the "street" (or shuttle) was "eh" for Keaton's directorial debut, as it was for other gems like "Quid Pro Quo" and "The Escapist". That's too bad, especially considering hot tickets like "The Great Buck Howard" were underwhelming compared to the lower-profile films. The Merry Gentleman is slow paced, yes, but that's an attribute. Keaton doesn't rush anything in his story of a lonely young woman (Kelly McDonald) who is the locus of desire for several men, including her ex-husband (a great Bobby Cannavale), an alcoholic cop, and a suicidal hit-man (Keaton). He honors the complexity of the situation with an ending as open ended as it is authentic. It is a glowingly photographed, impeccably performed magical realist drama, one that I'm glad exists in a market where it cannot thrive (just like the best Alan Rudolph films). Taking place during two of the loneliest holidays (Christmas and Valentine's day), The Merry Gentleman is also a great religious film, movingly detailing McDonald's faith as she in turn becomes a figure of worship for men with a variety of intentions. It even ends with a resurrection. As a primer on our ability to "save" each other, this is nothing less than rapturous, and Keaton infuses the frame with snow, fluorescent light, and human encounters that match the melancholic beauty of the frame. With Game 6 and this film, Keaton has proved to be one of our most reliable and literate actors. He is also a knockout director. ****

Slow. Not great. Not terrible. Great cast. Good direction my Keaton.

This very simple tale aims for a feel similar to a Coen brothers noir-ish film but the actual craftsmanship and writing is not up to the task.

The premise is that of two loners who have nothing in common but nonetheless bound together. One character is a hit-man, played by director Michael Keaton. The other is Kate, a woman fleeing a past of abuse, played by Kelly MacDonald.

Unfortunately, there's nothing here to rejuvenate the classic elements such as the nice-guy- hit-man who is poorly socialized. The quirky relationships falls a little flat compared to other movies of the genre. Everybody will root for poor Kate to get her life on track after a bad relationship, I couldn't help but feel it all tied up a little nicely for her.

There's just nothing terribly interesting about this plot or the characters to make me care

I feel that, even though I really don't want to, I should maybe watch this film again - to maybe see if I missed out any important details or something because from my experience this film has very little to redeem its creation. Frankly, I'd rather the film didn't make any money so that would teach Michael Keaton a lesson. Kelly McDonald's in it - and her character doesn't do any favours to get the audience to empathise or sympathise in any way with her. Likewise, Michael Keaton the retired hit-man love interest out to do one last job is unengaging and wooden. The only portions of the film I enjoyed were most of the scenes involving the fat cop (who fancies Kelly) because he actually manages to act unlike the rest of the cast. In addition, the first twenty minutes of the film where Keaton sneaks about town doing 'hitmanny stuff' is all very well arranged and is admittedly kind of cool - yet this twenty minutes does not in any way reflect the tone nor the level of quality you should expect from the rest of the film following it. I didn't get it.