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Total Film: The Modern Guide to The Movies

Reviews

Jun 25th 2007 By Total Film

Seeing how it’s written by and stars a Who’s Who of the Swinging Britain comedy boom – Peter Cook, John Cleese, Graham Chapman – you might expect this satire to be a whimsical, chortle-laden lark. Instead, it’s a cold, bleak political potshot that’s almost as cynical as it is prophetic. Cook plays charming but ruthless mystery man Rimmer, who appears from nowhere to take control of a polling station. It’s the first step on an express lane to Downing Street. Never a great actor, Cook arguably gives his best movie performance here (not that the cool, suave Rimmer is much of a stretch for him, admittedly). Alas, some of the gags are too on the nose to raise a smirk, while others are long past their sell-by date. Yet there’s still an eerie relevance in Rimmer’s blank-eyed focus on spin, appearance and media manipulation.