Raj and DK of the Happy Ending fame are back on screen with this action-comedy of theirs starring Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez in lead roles. A Gentleman has a lot of moving parts; it cuts between the two Sidharths with some thrill and a dose of dry humour in the first half. The connection between the two — a smoothly executed sequence halfway through the movie — is the highlight. Overall, the film is an average piece of work. It is full of clichés and typical characters. Even the climax action sequence conforms to decades old cliché - the hero’s anger is at its worst when the heroine is brought in the picture. The songs also disrupt the narrative and do not take the story any further although they are really peppy and hip otherwise. The movie is full of quirky dialogues, funny scenes, smart one liners and a good screenplay.

The film starts on a rather understated, but flashy note - foreign locations, characters flaunting designer clothes and fake accents, cliched characterisation and very predictable sequences. However, A Gentleman picks up the pace and the juxtaposition of the two Sidharths makes it an engaging to watch, if not entirely gripping. The quintessential Raj and DK touch - quirky dialogues, funny scenes, smart one-liners on ‘modernism’ and a practical side to the filmy narrative - is sprayed all over in just the perfect quantity. Both Sidharth and Jacqueline are quite fun to watch. That they mostly have to be flashy, cheeky and very, very Bollywood in their execution also helps. A Gentleman is not a flawless film, it is full of cliches and typecasts the characters - be it casting black men as the foot soldiers of the villain, their language or even the ringtone of his phone. Even the climax action sequence conforms to decades old cliche - the hero’s anger is at its worst when poked about the heroine. The songs of A Gentleman also disrupt the narrative and do not take the story any further. But Raj and DK have managed to narrate the plain and full-of-cliches story in their own quirky style and their dialogues and the screenplay make it fun to watch.

Here we go again: same s#*t, different Friday, as one would bemoan in the US of A. Raj and DK's A Gentleman: Sundar. Susheel. Risky is yet another film that believes that a patina of gloss is all that is needed in order to paper over mounds of dross. The director duo, known for the kind of quirky sensibility that made Shor in the City and Go Goa Gone watchable, do not scrimp on stylistic flourishes and visual flair in this smartly packaged action-packed rom-com send-up. Sadly, the film eventually falls way short of skirting around its jagged edges. The screenplay is peppered with scenes of romantic banter between the lead pair and ominous confrontations between the hero and his pursuers. The hero, in both avatars, delivers witty lines without batting an eyelid and the heroine responds in kind and then some. But despite the footage that Jacqueline Fernandez gets, the character she essays does not evolve into a woman of substantial significance. Not to be left behind, the baddies too attempt to don comic cloaks. Unfortunately, the all-round cheerfulness is to no avail: it cannot brighten up a pretty but rather dull film. The fact that much of the film has been shot in Miami gives the directors the opportunity to dress up the visuals when the action moves outdoors. Indoors, however, the shootouts and the hand-to-hand combats are predictable set pieces designed to leave a trail of destruction, the worst of which is the havoc that the goons wreak on the Pottery Barn furniture and Crate and Barrel decor in Gaurav's well-appointed living room. The rubble that bust-ups result in resemble the film as a whole. It is pretty while it lasts, but strangely bland overall. A Gentleman is a pileup of little ideas gone haywire. They could have done with more breathing room. Style over substance: that's the story of A Gentleman. Strictly for Sid Malhotra fans.

A Gentleman is a lazy title for this action-comedy, which is an improvement on the leave-your-brains-at-home genre that we have been (just as) lazily lapping up. A Gentleman has a lot of moving parts; it cuts between the two Sidharths with some thrill and a dose of dry humour in the first half. Special points must be given out for not resorting to slapstick or physical comedy. The connection between the two — a smoothly executed sequence halfway through the movie — is the highlight. The directors could have easily used the big suspense as the climax, however, they take a chance by making it their story’s interval. But the downside of that risky reveal is that the intrigue is sucked out of the movie. The second half steadily declines into the usual action fare with stolen hard drives, close-quarter combats and heists in big glass buildings. The elaborate action sequences will make you want to check your phones. In such moments, the film’s lead pair helps in keeping your eyes on the screen. Sidharth plays the two parts with distinctive skills and puts his charm to good use. Jacqueline’s sincerity is palpable and she makes for a breezy addition here, but her role is unnecessary. Hussain Dalal provides comic relief and Darshan Kumar’s one-note villainous act is satisfactory. The film would have been a perfect entertainer had it held its cards closer to its chest. However, it still has plenty bang for your buck.