Mindhorn Review - Out 5th May

Fans of The Might Boosh, Horrible Histories or most British comedy from the last fifteen years rejoice. Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby are about to unload an independent that is not quite as madcap as Boosh, but features Farnaby doing silly voices a la Horrible Histories. So there's some familiar aspects. 

As pure comedy, Mindhorn probably far more accessible and conventional than the cult series Barratt co-wrote and starred in with Noel Fiedling, but fans will still enjoy it. Barratt plays has-been actor Richard Thorncroft, star of the cheesy 80s detective show 'Mindhorn', where he has an eye-patch that can "see the truth" (the era is nailed down to the poor video quality). Richard refuses to age naturally and face the facts that his career is non-existent and Simon Callow thinks little of him, so the path his character arc takes is fairly predictable as he is needed to reprise his character to face down a screeching bird-themed serial killer who believes 'Mindhorn' is real.

Richard has Alan Partridge levels of ignorant arrogance (Alpha Papa's plot is a tad similar), putting his foot in it with police constables, his ex, the serial killer and former colleagues. A standout scene is a failed attempt to keep the murderous 'Kestrel' on the line so the police can track him, waxing lyrical about how we all have to die at some point in an attempt to sound profound. While it is Barratt's show and he confidently mans the ship, the supporting cast are given plenty of great moments, including Russell Tovey's Kestrel and Simon Farnaby's dutch stuntman. A series of cameos are also welcome, although Andrea Riseborough is given surprisingly few lines as a police officer.

It's a comedy. We need laughs. It certainly tickled the audience consistently - no doubt it will be a quotable cult classic in a few years - and a huge belly laugh is earned by a simple yet effective would-be-dramatic moment between Kestrel and Richard late on in the film. With a tiny look, Tovey makes that joke soar. Like a Kestrel I guess. As the film goes to increasingly absurd areas, the script never fails to at least offer smile-inducing gags and one-liners. Sadly, the ending feels incomplete; an animated credits roll appears in lieu of a poper coda. 

Still pretty damn funny. FOUR STARS.

(Below: We meet the writer/stars. Lovely chaps.)