It is lazy critique to label Neil Marshall’s new film simply styled on the cool gangster cliché so prevalent in Guy Ritchie’s most successful output, but it’s also largely accurate. That the conversation even exists is a testament to the cultural impact those movies have and continue to make. As such, any film shouldn’t be judged by comparison but whether it delivers on what it sets out to.
And Duchess, from Neil Marshall and Charlotte Kirk, is a perfectly passable, largely entertaining entry into this very English subgenre.
After meeting the man of her dreams, Scarlett (Kirk) is quickly absorbed into the diamond smuggling world and immediately considers herself one of them – pun intended. When the inevitable happens to her beau – a sadly uncharismatic Philip Winchester – Scarlett, now going by the moniker of Duchess, sets out for revenge.
Channelling themes from Coralie Fargeat’s excellent Revenge from 2007, Duchess pretty much does deliver exactly what you expect. Yes, many of the characters are constructed entirely from scraping the lower reaches of the cliché barrel. Yes, some of the dialogue is a little on the nose. And yes, the chemistry between Kirk and Winchester is tepid. But Marshall is a good director and fits all the pieces together well.
For Kirk’s part, this is the best we’ve seen her, convincing as the revenge-fuelled whirlwind she quickly becomes. Marshall regular Sean Pertwee is always worth watching, while support from Colm Meaney and Stephanie Beacham – pretty much stealing the entire film as a foul-mouthed crime boss – adds depth and credibility.
Duchess isn’t perfect, yet it’s likely the exact film Marshall and Kirk intended it to be.
