Killing Gentleman

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.

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. ****

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.

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.

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.