People's live are more dependent on software, even a simple website can leak info that has devastating effect on folks. Treating software development casually is a big problem. If we are going to be professionals, then we need to be professionals, most folks love to call themselves "software engineers", then let's act like one. Would you like if the same approach was taken on the car you drive, elevators, planes, medical equipments, buildings? Building great software is a science not an art. If you wish to express yourself, go code demos, design levels and game play.
Let me say this because I don't see it often said. Coding guidelines & Code review are a balancing act. One without the other is useless. Code review is where the correctness of the code is verified and we make sure that the guideline is followed. Without a guideline, the review process is just opinions. A guideline but without peer review is just a waste of time too. Guidelines must be reviewed often, it's a living document, that must be continually revised if need be to match the team and development process.
If your guideline calls for indentation by 2spaces and you use 4, it's not harassment, it's a violation of understood principles.
Now I must agree that the CR process should not be a bottleneck, if it is, it's a symptom of a bigger problem with the team and leadership. It's the leaders job to identify whatever it is and clear it so it can be fast and efficient.