Film Review: A Fantastic Fear of Everything

About A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012)

Jack (Simon Pegg) is a children’s author turned crime novelist whose detailed research into the lives of Victorian serial killers has turned him into a paranoid wreck, persecuted by an irrational fear of being murdered. When Jack is thrown a life-line by his long-suffering agent, and a mysterious Hollywood executive takes a sudden and inexplicable interest in Jack’s script, what should be his ‘big break’ rapidly turns into his ‘big breakdown’ as Jack is forced to confront his worst fears; among them love, laundry and serial killers. …A Fantastic Fear of Everything (2012)

Starring: Paul Freeman, Simon Pegg, Zaak Conway, Alan Drake, Elliot Greene

Directed by: Chris Hopewell, Crispian Mills

Runtime: 96 minutes

Studio: Universal Pictures UK

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Review: A Fantastic Fear of Everything

Jack (Simon Pegg) is a children’s author who has switched to the dark and eerie world of crime writing. Having researched Victorian murderers for his book, Jack has become paranoid that someone is out to get him and he now barricades himself in his London flat. He does manage to venture out to meet with his agent, Clair (Claire Higgins), who isn’t enthusiastic about his latest work, wanting him to work on a children’s story about a hedgehog instead. Clair’s opinion changes somewhat when a Hollywood executive expresses an interest in Jack’s crime novel and there is talk of a possible movie deal. Jack has to get himself together to meet Clair and the executive for dinner and so begins a series of mishaps.

Jack’s flat is run down and in need of a clean up. He parades around the place in his dressing gown and underpants, has no clean clothes and is reluctant to answer the door to anyone. Managing on little sleep, Jack spends his time trying to stay sane and piecing together suspects including one man who he is convinced must be a descendant of Dr Crippen. Forced to venture out, Jack has the difficulty of going to a launderette to wash a handful of clothes and make himself presentable for his meeting. This is far from straightforward though. Jack senses someone is after him and his fears are not helped by strange noises in his own home and peculiar figures wandering the streets. The basic routine of getting ready to leave the flat goes somewhat awry when Jack is forced to leave with a knife and drying his clothes in the oven literally backfires. The question is, is Jack’s fear of danger on the streets of London all in his head or is there something to justify his fears.

A Fantastic Fear of Everything started well enough and Pegg raised many smiles having to carry the film on his own for a time. The problems he creates for himself are very funny but the film loses its way somewhat in the second half when Jack heads for a launderette. What began as a fairly straightforward and quite funny comedy grew a little too incredulous in the latter stages which is a shame. This is still a good comedy and Pegg fans will likely enjoy this but compared to his other work such as Spaced and Shaun of the Dead this one pales significantly.

A Fantastic Fear of Everything is an okay comedy about a writer losing his grip on reality in switching to a genre that has him constantly on edge. There are some very funny moments in here but the second half of the film does not live up to the first. Pegg puts in another good performance but the film doesn’t quite match up to his talents as a comedian.

Verdict: 3/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

About the Author:

I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.

David M. Brown – who has written 782 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.