6 out of 6 people found the following review helpful:
A proper comedy for grown-ups with beautifully filthy language
Daniel Pollard from Manchester, England,
13th November, 2009
In The Loop is a feature length version of the BBC4 hit political comedy series In The Thick Of It. Most of the attention has correctly gone to Peter Capaldi’s foul mouthed prime ministerial press chief, Malcolm Tucker, based on Alistair Campbell, or at any rate his reputation. However, Tucker’s equally toilet mouthed and damn right abusive assistant, Jamie, reprised from the original TV show and played brilliantly by Paul Higgins is also a forced to be reckoned with in the nutcase stakes. All the other performances are equally brilliant on both sides of the Atlantic and the documentary feel of the film really gives it an uneasy sense of realism. This sense of realism helps to convey a dark view of politics; where Politian’s are only interested in their own careers and how they look in front of the media. They’re lost in a web of government bureaucracy and can’t see the human consequences of war and conflict. However, this subtext doesn’t distract from the laugh a minute script, and at least two viewings are recommended to properly grasp all the filthy insults and abusive language that Malcolm and Jamie continually shout at cowering MPs. As the film is adapted from a 30 minute TV series there are the inevitable stretch marks and the story slightly loses its way when it leaves the safety of Westminster for Washington, but these are minor criticisms in the what for my money is the best British comedy of the year.