‘Duchess’ Review – British Crime Thriller Struggles To Set Itself Apart

There’s something about upbeat, thrilling UK crime films that gets people excited. The films of Guy Ritchie and even Edgar Wright come to mind. Sleek and witty crime movies where the action and dialogue move at lightning pace and you can barely understand the dialogue because of the accents (at least for us here in America). That vibe and energy is exactly what director Neil Marshall’s latest film, Duchess, attempts to emulate. Duchess puts a feminine twist on the genre following Charlotte Kirk’s Scarlett, a small-time thief, as she gets caught up in a more serious part of the criminal underworld alongside her new lover Rob (Philip Winchester). She soon finds out that the diamond smuggling business is a bit more dangerous than petty theft, and must claw her way back to the top.

The brightest spot of this film is Charlotte Kirk’s performance as Scarlett. Even from the start, she exudes a special kind of confidence it takes to make it in London’s criminal underbelly. She greatly excels in the fast-paced, back-and-forth dialogue scenes where it would be hard for most to keep up. It’s nice to see a female lead in a film like this, and it brings a different energy than we are used to. Kirk is also the only actor to display much emotional range throughout the film. There’s a world where this could be a star-making performance for her if the movie is positioned correctly. Unfortunately, she’s not given much to bounce off of in terms of co-stars. The rest of the cast, particularly Philip Winchester, is unbelievably stiff and wooden for almost every line delivery in the film. In a film that’s supposed to be snappy and fun, it seems like they’re miserable to be there. 

Speaking of fun, Duchess has plenty of fun moments. A couple of fight sequences and dialogue-filled confrontations work well, and the film is at its best when playing to these familiar strengths. Every scene where Stephanie Beacham shows up as Charlie, a well-connected diamond peddler, is a massive and much-needed spark of energy. While there are fun scenes, it’s hard not to think of them as anything other than cheap imitations of the films the crew is trying to pay homage to instead of stepping in a new direction to help set this film apart. A host of pacing issues bog down the film’s momentum in key stretches and make the fun parts fewer and farther between than necessary. Each scene doesn’t need to be flashy and exhilarating, but it’s tough to see fairly lengthy expositional conversations drag the film down from its potential. 

On a technical level, the filmmaking has some highlights, specifically the lighting. The opening scene is very well-lit, with neon hues and thick shadows wrong-footing the tone of the type of movie that is about to unfold. It gives off more of a noir vibe with Scarlett going over-the-top to sell the part she is playing, but this facade is quickly shattered as the situation devolves into a messy brawl. The set design is also immaculate and is very notable in the mansion that Scarlett and Rob go to after their initial diamond deal is through in London. It’s extravagant without being completely unrealistic, save for the surprise zoo animal that makes a couple of appearances. 

The combined efforts behind Duchess result in a well-intentioned homage to British crime films like Snatch and The Gentlemen that ultimately falls short due to rough pacing, lackluster supporting performances, and an inability to distinguish itself within the genre. Despite these pitfalls, Charlotte Kirk’s performance is legitimately amazing. Seeing her chat it up with the big boys of the crime world and go toe-to-toe with them on all fronts is worth the price of admission.

Duchess will be available on Digital and On Demand on August 9, 2024, courtesy of Saban Films.