Well filmed on a technical level. The acting was good too. But I didn't find the plot particularly engaging. It was more of a character study than a carefully crafted story.

I enjoyed this slow moving movie. Great acting from all involved. Definitely worth a watch which proves Rotten Tomatoes isn't ALWAYS accurate.

gentle film about a battered wife, her abusive husband, a kind hitman, and a fat divorced alcoholic detective who inserts himself in their lives...lovely soundtrack...keaton's directorial debut...i'm impressed

I don't usually notice bad writing in a movie but the dialogue often makes no sense, logical flaws in the movie, and lots of bad hammy acting. Id have given it only half a star but it's so bad at times it made me laugh out loud so it gets a higher rating

Character study of two people who seem very different at the outset, but show similarities as the plot developes. The acting is outstanding.

This movie was amazing. Micheal Keaton is very sexy. Best actor in the world, possibly universe. Would like to see him direct more because this blew my mind. Anyone that says differently doesn’t understand good story telling. Love, Micheal Keaton

This is a great movie. Keaton is a really good director. After watching Knox Goes Away and finding out Michael Keaton directed it, I had to find out what else he directed. Went to straight IMDb and find this little gem. My best guess for the low audience rating is the way it ended. It was so far from your typical Hollywood happy ending most people couldn’t handle it. To me it is a very intelligent ending. Resulting from an intelligent cast of actors. And from an intelligent director and screenplay. Not to mention the great soundtrack. I really really hope Michael Keaton directs more. I’m a cinephile and his movies rank pretty high up the ladder.

Excellent but the end results made a lame spot.

A great movie. 'Hard to like'?!? Who thinks so? Not someone who can pay attention for longer than five seconds. This is one Michael Keaton's best performances. And that is a considerable standard. He directs this movie and is wise and generous enough to let Kathy Riley be the center of gravity. Keaton is so quiet, so disciplined in his acting style for this character that, e.g., though he's present on screen from the first shot, he doesn't say a word of dialogue until twenty two minutes into the film. This is a character-driven story about people, not predictable stereotypes. Keaton never gets in-your-face about it, yet as the story progresses, it may occur to the viewer that the good guys are pretty bad and the bad guy has a lot of good in him. It's subtle, nobody really changes; it's not a romantic melodrama. This a thoughtful piece, expertly executed, by one the most intelligent actors alive. If it's "hard to like," that's on you.

My kind of movie, about people, and Kelly MacDonald is not to be missed

An effective thriller because of Michael Keaton and his really strong performance.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars. Limited physical dialogue compared with all the nuances of the unsaid. Great acting, and a great directorial debut for Keaton.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why this film gets so little respect. I thought both Keaton and Macdonald were very good. I guess the mediocre reviews and ratings were because its pace was too slow for most viewers. Didn't bother me at all. Pretty good directorial debut for Keaton. Too bad that was his only work on the other side of the camera.

Surprisingly good. Developed quite slowly, but highlights that relationships can be awkward, difficult, yet real.

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.

Keaton and Macdonalds acting is just wonderful to behold. It's interesting and well played.. if you want a nice happy package at the end of your movies you will be unhappy. If you like good acting , noir and an intriguing end it will work

Michael Keaton directs and stars in this dull drama that slightly proves he's better off a great actor than a mediocre director.

Surprisingly emotional despite its slow pace and dull events.

A first draft. Not worth seeing, but not entirely terrible. If you're stuck watching it, you'll stick it out. But you won't be satisfied.

Actually a pretty good movie - though slow at parts