"...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...
