A One Mann’s Movies review of “Hot Fuzz” (2007).
I know comedy is sometimes in the eye of the beholder. But is there anyone out there that cannot have at least a half dozen belly laughs while watching “Hot Fuzz”? For me, this is one of the finest British comedy films made in the last 40 years. It was the subject of a recent Everyman Cinemas “Throwback” presentation, so who was I to miss the opportunity to see this comedy classic again on the big screen?
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“Hot Fuzz” Plot:
Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) is an officer in the Met Police that is SOOO good at his job that he is making everyone else look bad. He is transferred to the apparently sleepy rural village of Sandford. But he finds that everything is not quite as quiet and tranquil as it seems: a series of gruesome murders is in play.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Contains very strong language and strong comic bloody violence”.)
Talent:
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Steve Coogan, Peter Wight, Julia Deakin, Bill Bailey, Paul Freeman, Stuart Wilson, Timothy Dalton, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Rafe Spall, Karl Johnson, Olivia Colman, Edward Woodward, Anne Reid, Adam Buxton, Stephen Merchant, David Threlfall, David Bradley, Cate Blanchett
Directed by: Edgar Wright.
Written by: Edgar Wright & Simon Pegg.
Running Time: 2h 1m.
“Hot Fuzz” Summary:
Positives:
- A timeless classic, lampooning a whole heap of ‘Britishisms’.
- Catchphrases to die for.
- Superb comic performances from a range of British greats.
- A brilliant piece of editing.
Negatives:
- “Narp”…. I just can’t fault it.
Review of “Hot Fuzz”:
For a few Cornetto’s more.
This is the second of the films in Edgar Wright’s “3 Cornettos Trilogy”, sitting between the brilliant “Shaun of the Dead” and “The World’s End” (which frankly, was a bit of a disappointment). For me, this is the best of the three. The opening scene, with Angel (Simon Pegg) taking his reassignment complaint up the line of management – Martin Freeman, then Steve Coogan and finally an immaculately funny Bill Nighy – is pure genius. After a bust-up with his then girlfriend Janine (a well disguised Cate Blanchett) Angel takes his Japanese Peace Lily and grudgingly turns up in the sleepy village of Sandford.
The character development really goes into overdrive in Sandford with a very friendly vicar (Paul Freeman), a ‘slashing’ supermarket owner (Timothy Dalton), a doctor (Tom Weaver), the enthusiastic journalist Tim Messenger (Adam Buxton) and numerous other charmingly polite villagers, all focused on making Sandford yet again ‘the village of the year’. And that’s before we meet the police force: Inspector Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent); his habitually sozzled and action-film-loving son PC Danny Butterman (Nick Frost); the politically incorrect PC Doris Thatcher (Olivia Colman); detective duo Paddy Considine Andy Wainwright and Andy Cartwright (Paddy Considine and Rafe Spall respectively); desk sergeants Turner and Turner (Bill Bailey); police dog Saxon and his only marginally more understandable handler PC Bob Walker (Karl Johnson).
The drawing of every single character is pitch-perfect and beautifully portrayed by the impressive acting cast – a parade of British greats – all of who seem to be having a whale of a time with the material.
Catchphrases to die for.
The script is absolutely brilliantly tight for a 2 hour film, with so much dialogue that has engrained itself into the Mann-family lexicography. You can’t hear anyone on the media say “the greater good” without uttering a replying chorus of “The Greater Good”! Jugglers aren’t ‘jugglers’ any more: they are always “crusty jugglers”; and “Yarp” (and indeed “Narp”) have become perfectly acceptable means of signifying approval (or disapproval). (Indeed, I was driving through the real-life village of Sandford in Dorset last week, and artistically graffitied onto the “Welcome to Sandford” sign at the village boundary is – you’ve guessed it – “Yarp!”).
As well as the dialogue, much of the visual comedy is also superbly done: Danny ‘finishing’ his Cornetto too quickly; Danny in pursuit through the gardens; Tim Messenger’s gory end; in fact, all the other victim’s gory ends; Simon Skinner as-spiring to be caught. It’s all just laugh after laugh after laugh.
Superb editing.
Another star of the show is Chris Dickens who did the editing. The nominated films for Editing at the 2008 Oscars were:
- The Bourne Ultimatum – Christopher Rouse
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly – Juliette Welfling
- Into the Wild – Jay Cassidy
- No Country for Old Men – Roderick Jaynes
- There Will Be Blood – Dylan Tichenor
with “The Bourne Ultimatum” winning through. The fact that “Hot Fuzz” wasn’t nominated (indeed, not even the BAFTAs nominated it) is to me a travesty. The film is full of perfectly timed staccato shots of everything from Angel riding a police bike to putting a coat on a coat hook. It makes you really appreciate just how crucial effective editing is to the success of a comedy film like this.
Summary Thoughts on “Hot Fuzz”
An instant classic. A film that I can not only watch time and time again, but one that I genuinely get excited about watching (yet) again. It was simply brilliant to see it again on the big screen.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Hot Fuzz”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6PKkxn7pq0.
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