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Monday 8 June 2015

"Mortdecai" the Johnny Deep, Gweneth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, Paul Bettany, Olivia Munn and Jeff Goldbloom movie - A Review




"...Carry On Old Bean..."

Just saw "Mortdecai" at the cinema and I can understand both the derision and delight it elicits in people. Personally I laughed my head off almost all of the time - even in those awkward moments (and at the beginning there are a few). But once it got going - it picked up big time and it’s far better than many are saying.

When I think back on how unfunny "Gambit" was which kind of mined the same territory (done by the Coens) - "Mortdecai" is far funnier than it had any divine right to be. There's a constant stream of great spoken and visual gags and the talented cast are clearly having a hoot (how good is it to see Paltrow actual do some work instead of being some superhero's moll for about five seconds - she shines here). But better is the combo of Paul Bettany as the manservant Jock constantly saving his boss Mortdecai from another dodgy scrape no matter what the personal injury may be. Depp is fabulous fun as the moustached constantly-babbling English art-fraudster while Jock polishes the Rolls - and inbetween Windowlene rubs - shags anything that's female and willing (and they all are apparently - even the farmer's daughter who claims she can run away because she has her own apartment).

Throw in great sidekick shows by Ewan McGregor as a cop besotted with Depp's wife since collage days, Paul Whitehouse as an East European Stavros-Type Car/Art Smuggler, Michael Culkin as a greedy Old Masters Expert obsessed with Goya's lost masterpiece and Olivia Munn as the nymphomaniac daughter of the vulgar American Jeff Goldbloom - and the gags and set pieces keep coming at you all the way to the rather clever and satisfying end. Inbetween the film is rude, crude and just so damn likeable really.

I'd admit this dotty movie wouldn't be everyone's cup of Darjeeling old boy - but give "Mortdecai" a tinkle on your bone china. The audience I was with loved it - and left as happy bunnies - glad they took a punt.

All this and The Newsroom's Olivia Munn in a tight dress...

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