It may be hard to believe that certain cinemas in London, including the Curzon Soho, are showing of the year’s best two films. Certainly there is many months to go but these two films would be amongst the best of any other given year and there is no reason why not to believe that will be the case this year. I can’t imagine them making a fitting double feature though if that is what you may be thinking, as they are worlds apart. One that I refer to, Let The Right One In, I have already written on. The other, which will be the subject of this note, In The Loop, is a new release that was recently rewarded five stars by The Guardian and I have never really seen The Guardian award five stars before, but here they are being fair.
In The Loop is without a doubt one of the funniest films that I have seen in the cinema in a long time. I had kinda forgotten that cinematic comedy should be so good when at its finest; it should keep you laughing out loud from the beginning to end as Monty Python once did. And the best should not have to resort to jokes concerning a naked man being dumped; humour works best in the dialogue and the writing. This film owes a lot to the screenplay and the improvisation, a testament to both of these is that swearing has never seemed so fresh and creative.
‘In The Loop’ follows a number of UK politicians as they make trips to US meetings concerning the possibility of an invasion of an unnamed Middle East country. As necessary with any successful satire, director Armando Iannucci has highlighted a tragic and somewhat scary reality, even if the real decision makers aren’t as foul-mouthed or idiotic, they are using deceit and purposely misleading the public to ensure a war goes ahead as we all know thanks to the Iraq War.
The characters created by Iannucci and his cast never fail to ring true to how politicians are seen to be acting. They double cross each other, they go back on their word and they twist the words of others. And in the anti-hero of Malcolm Tucker, the filmmakers have crafted a comedic character who doesn’t necessarily steal the show but we can’t wait for his reappearance and anticipate his eventual face-to-face with the other hard hitters. All cast members hold their own, are never over shadowed and never over shadow other, thanks to richly drawn characters, from the loyal general to the ambitious aides, with their own part to play.
