Magicians Reviews

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Good Points: Very funny, very rude, very English, very Mitchell and Webb, great cast.

Bad Points: Unlikely to win any Oscars, perhaps a little light on plot.

General comments: I'll confess, since Peep Show, I'll watch pretty much anything Mitchell and Webb are involved in. Mitchell's clever awkward loser style is polished and exploited to its full on many occasions, whereas Webb's darker more overbearing and crass is the perfect contrast.

It works once again in this rather thin but very enjoyable story of two former stage partners from a magic double act, reunited for the first time, through necessity rather than desire, after the untimely demise of both their fame, their act, their credibility as magicians, and indeed one member of their triumvirate.

It then builds up a series of delicious set pieces where humour is just around the corner, and the characters employed are offensively funny in support of them. Dizzy women, sexist men, unlikely heroes, unhealthy desires, ... I don't think there's a single character you'd aspire to be -- which is what makes it so funny of course.

The location, the subject matter, the very matter-of-factness and chronic indifference shows towards the event is the beauty of this film though, and what makes it (despite the characters) so utterly plausible.

It's what makes you squirm with frustration at Mitchell's stupidity, brought on by supreme self doubt and inexperience, in much the same way you lambast Webb's character for his utter inability to consider anyone except himself.

It's also what makes the conclusion equally amusing, as even the resolution point for so many flawed lives can only yield a stern English handshake rather than the jump up and down hug that the breakthrough clearly warranted.

Another reviewer said you'd forget most of this film by the following morning. I disagree, its funny enough to write about in the positive, and has the two main protagonists to thank for that. Sure the plot is pretty straightforward, but this is more Ealing than Los Angeles so I think you have to roll with that. A very strong cast makes this good for what it is, rather than what you might like it to be.

If you like Mitchell and Webb, its worth it; if you liked Shawn of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, you'll like it; if you like British Comedy, you'll like it. OK you might not die laughing, but that shouldn't stop you.

ps. don't take the kids - far too much swearing!

Comedy starring Peep Show twosome David Mitchell and Robert Webb as a magical double act