In The Loop: DVD Review
In The Loop
Rating: R13
Released by Madman Entertainment
Cast: Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, Anna
Chlumsky, Chris Addison
A spin off from the critically acclaimed The Thick Of It, it's a
tale of politics, foul mouths and hilarious misunderstandings with
global consequences.
With the British Prime Minister and US president looking to go to
war, there are the inevitable political splits - and the situation
is made much worse by Secretary of State for International
Development, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander). His comment that war is
"unforeseeable" during an interview is picked up - and suddenly the
entire world appears to be going to hell in a handcart.
Only to make matters worse, the UK's chief spin doctor Malcolm
Tucker (a stunning bilious performance from Peter Capaldi whose
anger seems to push him close to a stroke) latches onto Foster as
he tries to limit the damage control.
In The Loop is a dizzying, hedonistic trip through the corridors of
power - it's like the West Wing on foul mouthed speed. It's about
British politics and the satire - and takes in Washington politics
as well.
It's fast paced, intelligent, frenetic and full of endlessly
quotable F word moments - Iannucci shows why he's the king of UK
satire as he lampoons the reality of life behind the political
curtain.
With a top notch ensemble cast, In The Loop is full of quality
performances - but one simply towers above the rest.
It's quite simply Peter Capaldi's film - his turn as spin doctor
Malcolm Tucker defies description - from the first moments when he
tells Foster's new intern to go away in no uncertain terms, it's
clear he's not a man who minces his words. However, thanks to the
juxtaposition of an impending global war and the absurdity of
constituency politics, director Iannucci's able to weave a tableaux
which is fun, frantic and requires a certain level of intelligence
to follow.
In The Loop is a vicious satire and a very funny expression of
politics as well as the levels it's played on - from the very top
to the very bottom with quibbling interns.
Extras: Audio commentary with Armando Iannucci and
cast; deleted scenes; webisodes, trailers and interviews with stars
and the director make a great addition to a brilliantly savage
film
Rating: 8/10
