Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Julian Barratt | ... | Richard Thorncroft | |
Simon Farnaby | ... | Clive Parnevik | |
Essie Davis | ... | Patricia Deville | |
Steve Coogan | ... | Peter Easterman | |
Richard McCabe | ... | Jeffrey Moncrieff | |
Andrea Riseborough | ... | DS Elena Baines | |
Russell Tovey | ... | Paul Melly | |
Robin Morrissey | ... | PC Green | |
David Schofield | ... | Chief Inspector Derek Newsome | |
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Alannah Olivia | ... | Casting Receptionist |
Christopher Jenner Cole | ... | Richard Crowthorne | |
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Sean Foley | ... | Kenneth Branagh's Producer |
Jessye Romeo | ... | Agent's Secretary | |
Harriet Walter | ... | Richard's Agent | |
Simon Callow | ... | Simon Callow |
Richard Thorncroft is a has-been British television actor who used to be famous in the late 1980s for playing the charismatic title character in the Isle of Man detective show Mindhorn, a character with a robotic eye that can literally "see the truth". Unfortunately, after becoming a little too pompous and arrogant, Richard ends up insulting the Isle of Man and his fellow cast members on the Wogan chat-show, including his on-screen and real-life love interest Patricia Deville (Essie Davies), his stuntman (Simon Farnaby), and bit-part co-star Peter Easterman (Steve Coogan). He decides to leave to try and make it big in Hollywood, but twenty-five years later he's balding in a flat in North London and has recently been replaced for an orthopaedic sock advertisement by John Nettles, much to his chagrin. He is even more jealous that Easterman now fronts a long-running spin-off show which has far eclipsed the success of Mindhorn. Richard has an unexpected opportunity to reignite his career ... Written by Edward Hunter
Mindhorn is the ultimate treat for anyone who has an appreciation for ludicrous humour. The film is set on the Isle of man which in my eyes sets the plot up for greatness as the clash of action and crime with understated countryside life is always a winner for me! I love to see the quaintness of British life being fondly ridiculed by a silly parody action sequence! Mindhorn is immediately funny and the 80s Mindhorn montage sequence reached both people who feel nostalgic about the 80s action genre (my dad was roaring) but it also tickled a 22 year old like myself. I love the parody form and Mindhorn's purposefully cheesy devices landed with rip-roaring comedic success.
The acting in this film was spot on because the actors had amazing command of physical humour and timing and the script didn't scrimp on funnies! Visual comedy is a really intelligent and inventive form of humour and the mark of a good script. Mindhorn has some brilliant moments of this and you can clearly tell from watching the film that the art department had a whale of a time! l also thoroughly enjoyed the use of garish colour in this film there was a strong use of carefully considered yet brazenly bold costumes and set. A piece of art as well as a good comedy! I'm sure I could pick faults but because I laughed the entire way through I don't think I need to.