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It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

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.

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.

I really don't understand these reviews. Obviously, everyone has their own opinion and I guess I'm odd man out on this one. I found it to be incredibly slow most of the time. I saw a few of the key plot points coming a mile away.Seriously, the minute Frank showed up and heard about her ex being there, was there ANYONE in the theatre who didn't know Frank was about to go kill the ex? I mean ANYONE? Also, you knew the detective was going to catch on the second he saw Frank standing there. The second she fell with the Christmas tree.. in fact, no, the second it was clear that she was having trouble with the tree, you had to know Frank was going to end up showing up to help her out. The whole movie was entirely predictable. None of it exciting.It was a 110 minute movie that felt four hours long. I really wanted to like it before I sat down, but I seriously couldn't wait for it to end.

In a recent trend, the film going public has favored a cinematic experience of what I like to call "Hand it Overs". These phenomena can be as creative as the "big reveal" at the end of early M. Night Shymalan films, or as effortless in reality as passing the mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving dinner. They give the majority of today's audiences exactly what they want, instant gratification. Imagine if we never saw Malcom Crowe's real fate completely unfold in "The Sixth Sense" or Elija Prince's true self-revealed in "Unbreakable". How would this change our perception and enjoyment of them? The Merry Gentleman marks Michael Keatons Directorial debut by chance due to the sudden illness of screenwriter Ron Lazzeretti who was originally slated to Direct. Keaton also stars as Frank Logan, a depressed hit man, alongside Kate Frazier (Kelly Macdonald) a woman who has just escaped from an abusive relationship. As the plot unfolds, Frank and Kate end up mysteriously crossing paths, which spawns an unconventional, often uncomfortable and strained romance between these two mixed up individuals from different worlds.Keaton's first shot at direction does everything but fall into a "Hand It Over". His pacing is agonizingly slow, yet unbelievably careful. Discerning and seasoned viewers will appreciate his intricate placement and organization of scenes for the greater purpose, if not during the film then certainly after the credits roll. Others will become fed up with his unconventional style a third of the way through, and if they haven't walked out of the theater before the final scene may let out a strained, "That's It?" and huff out the door unsatisfied. For me it took a good fifteen minutes after the picture ended before everything clicked and I was blindsided by the sheer brilliance of what I had seen; deep themes rich in symbolism of religion and redemption and the overall feeling that Keaton felt no responsibility as an artist to spell it out for us.Performances all around play it safe but are always believable and gratifying to watch. As a virtual no name, Macdonald holds her own quite well, even while sporting an Irish accent that can sometimes border on a tad annoying and contrived. In front of the camera, Keaton never fails to please and continues to frustrate me when I realize that he has been almost entirely absent from view since the mid nineties. Supporting cast gets the job done and Bobby Cannavale delivers a poignant, gripping and short-lived scene stealing performance as Kate's boyfriend.The question that will remain on many of our minds is, "what exactly is the fine line between complete obscurity and masterpiece, and did Keaton cross it?" That's for each of us to decide individually, but it is in the opinion of this reviewer that said line is imaginary. As an art form, film should have no boundaries, regardless of how many cookie cutter, "How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days" burnt offerings Hollywood Studios continuously try to force down our throats. After all is said and done, it does feel good to sink your teeth into a double quarter pounder, but on occasion, Yellow Tail Sashima can prove to be extremely rewarding. After all, grandma always said try everything once.