A reminder that British rom-coms can be great!
Whenever it comes to British romantic comedies, I can’t help but compare them to the works of Richard Curtis. The creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and About Time, set up a formula that many Filmmakers have tried to copy. Most fail.
Although the director of Man Up – Ben Palmer (The Inbetweeners Movie) – doesn’t quite reach the summit of Richard’s mountain, he gets further than most.
This rom-com focuses on Nancy (Lake Bell), a 34 year old woman who has had enough of the stresses that come with dating. After finding herself at the right place at the right time, she comes across 40 year old divorcee, Jack (Simon Pegg), who mistakes her for his blind date. Nancy decides to give in to her nagging conscience and goes along with it.
During their venture around London, how does Nancy cope with pretending to be someone else? And, could this be that one successful date she’s been longing for? You’ll have to watch the film to find out.
What works best here is the genuine chemistry between Bell and Pegg. She particularly shines throughout as a likeable lead you’ll be rooting for.
The writer, Tess Morris, has confessed that the film is comprised of her own dating experiences and it shows. The script was written with the brutal honesty that could only have come from experience.
I must warn you though, Man Up is a very character driven film and lacks the numerous slapstick situations that are found in a Curtis flick (last reference, I promise). But, although a film that is essentially a couple walking and talking may seem a little slow paced – it works! The fairly short length of the film results in the closing credits running just before the concept becomes a little tedious.
See Man Up and much more at Showcase Cinema, Peterborough. Visit www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for the latest up-to-date show times. You can also join the chat on Twitter @showcasecinemas or on Facebook by searching for ‘Showcase Cinemas UK’.
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Genre: Romantic Comedy
Cast: Simon Pegg, Lake Bell & Rory Kinnear
Running Time: 1hr 28mins
Directed by: Ben Palmer
See it if you liked: Bridget Jones Diary & Love Actually
Mikey Clarke
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