This is a British comedy film with some aspects of comedy that deliver. It’s also a saucy tale of getting involved in the world of adult movie making that falls a little short of being the gleefully smutty equivalent of ‘American Pie’. It’s not completely bad, it’s not just not overly good either.
Two film students at a college/uni in Leatherhead desire themselves to be the next big thing in terms of the movie industry. One is a more laid back trouble inducing producer called Joe (Tom Riley) who gets financial backing for their shared film script from a dodgy company who actually want them to get hold of Candy Fiveways (Carmen Electra) and make a porno. Clearly this goes against what the intelligent director and good intentioned Baggy (Tom Burke) was aiming for when getting given their final assignment, or should that be ASSignment, hahaha…snigger. That’s the kind of minx like behaviour of shenanigans you can expect in this movie.
Comedy hits and misses throughout this 2007 movie as director Stephen Surjik wrestles with a film that tries to be sexy funny, farcical and witty. It hits on this nail heads slightly from time to time in making fun of sex scenes with the wink wink of not seeing but imagining more with a pear and Electra, a case of shooting too early and parental vibrators. The best farce like moment is in the stupid Benny Hill set up of them all fleeing the bedroom as Joe’s mum and dad return, that and Joe getting stuck in his parent’s en suite with a European friend as he hears them have sex. The inclusion of them wanting to be known in the movie world makes room for them being clever and funny in referencing films and Jimmy Carr becomes a comedian grand for hire in the video store owner helping Baggy in the art of making a valid porn film. The wit and farce mix hits its only other stride in the confusion of Joe’s teacher and dad wondering who the other is.
It has a thoroughly British cast of good well known names, at least on our homely isle, including Eddie Marsan, Mackenzie Crook and Jimmy Carr. Of course the sweetest feature comes from the American addition of ‘Baywatch’ hottie Carmen Electra, who in fact only serves as the looks of the piece and a slight romantic interest to push the narrative along in getting Baggy to commit to making the movie. It’s the two male leads that actually get presented as the central structures and obviously they need to have that clear cut ying and yang personality difference to make them work together as budding filmmakers. Riley who plays the more annoying producer is actually pretty funny and charming, so even if his character is cliched and put through averagely set up comic scenes he gets away with dignity intact. Burke is the one with more heart leading him to try and pull at the empathy of us, to be fair he makes you side with him more so I guess that succeeds, it’s just a wishy washy character that becomes odd when he presents the movie near the end and then doesn’t want to do anymore. If so, why would he even have wanted to see the thing on a massive screen, if he wasn’t slightly proud of what they could do on a shoestring shooting schedule? A pair of characters that aren’t dynamic or fully three dimensional but do what’s necessary to chug this low budget British film along the tracks.
It is a quite cheery rude film but it’s not overly filled with embarrassing sex gags and graphic nudity, it is in general a quite tame offering considering the subject matter which helps in some degree give the film a higher dose of warmth. The romantic element of Joe and his to be girlfriend is so horribly stitched on as an unbeliveable under thread. The Baggy and Candy duo is another forced relationship that never feels wholly real, it’s as if the director and writers just wanted to include something lovey dovey to keep the female audience happy and give the film a romantic lift. The story arc also is pretty dull in never gaining edge or comedy thrills. Also from the beginning the name of their supposedly serious film idea sounds like a porno anyway. How apt! Don’t even get me going on how they do so well at this Golden Cock shebang and make it past a suddenly unbothered Eddie Marsan.
This film has flaws in equal measure to the silly enjoyment you can have in watching this slightly smutty, slightly funny comedy unfold. If nothing else the two leads are energetic and Carmen Electra looks damn good.
5/10
The Review Club 