Film Review: In the Loop

Summary:

In the Loop is a worthy spin-off from the excellent The Thick of It. Classic turns from actors on both sides of the Atlantic are more than welcome.

More DetailsAbout In the Loop (2009)It s the razor-sharp smash that critics are calling brilliant (San Francisco Chronicle), blisteringly funny (USA Today) and “One of the best films of the year… a little piece of heaven (Chicago Tribune). Peter Capaldi stars as a foul-mouthed British government spokesman who must act quickly when a mid-level minister (Tom Hollander of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) tells an interviewer that U.S. war in the Middle East is unforeseeable . But when they are both summoned to Washington D.C., the hapless politico quickly becomes a pawn of bureaucrats, spin doctors and military advisors, including a hardnosed General (James Gandolfini, in a performance Rolling Stone hails as slyly hilarious ). Gina McKee (WONDERLAND), Anna Chlumsky (MY GIRL) and Steve Coogan (TROPIC THUNDER) co-star in this hilarious satire from director/co-writer Armando Iannucci, the award-winning creator of the classic BBC sitcoms I M ALAN PARTRIDGE and THE THICK OF IT.

Starring: James Gandolfini, Peter Capaldi, Anna Chlumsky, James Doherty, Mimi Kennedy

Directed by: Armando Iannucci

Runtime: 106 minutes

Studio: MPI Home Video

Amazon USAmazon UKIMDB

Review: In the Loop 

Armando Iannuci’s In the Loop is a spin-off from the hit British comedy The Thick of It and is a satire of events leading up to the start of the Iraq War in 2003. Our primary focus begins with Minister for International Development Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) getting a tad flustered dealing with the media and saying that war in the Middle East is out of the question. He receives a grilling from the Prime Minister’s enforcer Malcolm Tucker (a brilliant Peter Capaldi) who stresses the need for neutrality in front of the cameras. Instead of retracting his earlier statement, Simon makes matters worse by implying war may be possible thus contradicting himself! Simon and his advisers fall under the influence of the US Assistant Secretary of State, Karen Clark (Mimi Kennedy) and this increases further problems especially when Simon heads for the States..

This has all the delightful banter and quick witted remarks of The Thick of It. Simon isn’t having a nice time when he manages to twice say the wrong thing to the media. He has Malcolm breathing down his neck which is never good and to make matters worse there is a very disgruntled local (Steve Coogan) who is frequently on the phone complaining about his mother’s garden wall. Simon heads for the States with Toby Wright (Chris Addison) who is drafted in to help him out. Toby manages to cause no end of problems. He has an affair with Karen Clark’s assistant Liza Weld (Anna Chlumsky) and accidentally leaks information to a friend in the media about a secret war council that goes under a different name. Worse follows when Malcolm shows up in the US and he’s not happy! Rival factions from the US and Britain are both in favour and against a war in the Middle East. The media is in the know and amidst the pandemonium a resolution is needed.

This is a well-crafted political comedy with some of the cast from The Thick of It appearing once more but new additions from America also joining in the fun. Addison and Hollander are great in the central roles, as are Kennedy and Chlumsky and there a welcome turn from James Gandolfini minus his Mafia connections and in full military regalia. However, as with the The Thick of It, it is the wonderful Peter Capaldi as Malcolm that has all the best lines. He is a force of nature but in America he may have finally found his match, however briefly. This is another reminder of the dangerous and confusing world of politics. I’m glad I’m not involved in it.

In the Loop is a worthy spin-off from the excellent The Thick of It. Classic turns from actors on both sides of the Atlantic are more than welcome. Our American cousins are undoubtedly powerful but in this highly amusing film it’s great to see that we can be as incompetent as each other when it comes to politics.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)