FILM REVIEW- Bunny And The Bull

Bunny and the Bull (15, 101 minutes)

Can it be as mighty as the Boosh?

Where?

The Lighthouse, Poole

Plot?

Stephen (Edward Hogg) lives by a strict, organized routine, and is afraid to leave his house. But when he starts looking through his possessions he thinks back to his eventful road trip with the rambunctious Bunny (Simon Faranaby).

Thoughts?

When watching an episode of cult BBC show the Mighty Boosh, you either watch two types of episode.

You are either whisked away to a surreal world rammed full of characters you could never begin to imagine, as well as being spoilt with an abundance of witty and quotable dialogue.

Or you are dragged through a misfiring sludge, full of characters that never hit their mark, and fumbling, misfiring dialogue.

This film debut from Boosh director Paul King, mixes a little bit of both, resulting in a film that is refreshingly different in tone, but also has a disappointing undercooked aftertaste.

So much has been discussed about the films visual style, but with good reason- it’s a constant barrage of hand crafted visual delightfulness.

There’s admirable low budget bravado in King’s use of confetti snow, cling film ice and crepe paper flames that really mark him out as a director to watch.

But as much as you’re won over by the films looks, the frequently slack writing contrives to pull the film down.

It’s hard to understand what some scenes are trying to achieve. It constantly flicks from simple laughs to meandering non-sequitirs that go nowhere. In the Boosh they worked to occasionally laugh out loud extremes- here they never get that far off the ground.

Frustratingly, the film does work on both an visual and script level, such as a scene involving Boosh star Julian Barratt as a dog loving tramp, which although not side-splitting, is an amusing side-step.

And there’s nothing fatally wrong with the acting on show either, which makes the flat dialogue even more depressing.

Hogg cuts a lovably pathetic misfit, and Farnaby manages to mix vulgarity and charm as the alcoholic Bunny, but both get little chance to develop their characters.

As a result you feel little emotional connection to them in the film’s final act, when you feel you should.

Treat this film like a foul sponge cake covered in a beautiful, glittering icing decoration- enjoy how it looks by all means, but scrape no further underneath- you’ll only be underwhelmed.

Verdict?

A shabbily written mess, saved to some degree by its wondrous lo-fi visuals. (2/5)

Haiku?

Wonderfully odd,

Looks like a hand made dream world,

Shame about the plot!

Go Further…

· King is rumoured to be directing the film adaptation of Paddington Bear. The background design for the betting shop scene in this shows he is the right man for the job- it has the same sketchy, ramshackle feel.

· Listen out for a voice cameo by Rich Fulcher, Boosh’s Bob Fossil, as Captain Crab near the beginning of the film.

·Hogg and Farnaby played Boosh’s Howard Moon and Vince Noir’s rivals in a series 3 episode of the show.

Second Opinion?

Little White Lies thought it a brilliant British gem…

http://www.littlewhitelies.co.uk/theatrical-reviews/bunny-and-the-bull/

Trailer?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L9VlgJitmA