"The Look Of Love" (18)
Director: Michael Winterbottom.
Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Tamsin Egerton, Imogen Poots.
Rated 18 for: Strong sexualised nudity, sex and hard drug use.
Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan re-unite for the fourth time in 'The Look Of Love', a biopic of Paul Raymond, the self-proclaimed "King of Soho" and one-time "Richest Man In Britain". Not bad, as Raymond says several times throughout, for a lad who got off the boat from Liverpool with a fiver in his pocket. And the catalyst for his huge wealth and empire? Well, it was the realisation that men like to look at beautiful women who happen to be nude.
Scripted by Matt Greenhalgh, who previously did sterling work on the Ian Curtis biopic 'Control', the movie looks at the changing attitudes to nudity from the stuffy '50's to the swinging '60's and beyond, but the main focus of the film is his relationship with the three most important women in his life - his wife (Friel), his lover (Egerton) and his daughter Debbie (Poots), the true love of his life and intended heir to his throne.
The central performances are excellent throughout. Steve Coogan appears to be having a whale of a time playing Raymond in all his excessive, long-haired, tacky glory, and only occasionally slips into Partridge-isms.
Anna Friel does well with a role that could have easily become shrill and annoying in the hands of a less gifted actress, Tamsin Egerton is revelatory as Raymond's beautiful and put-upon mistress, and Imogen Poots confirms her growing status as one of England's finest young actresses with a moving, poignant portrayal as a girl with too much money and no one to say "no" to her.
However, it all feels a bit empty. Michael Winterbottom makes the decision to try and lens the proceedings as a casual observer, with zero objectivity or bias. While the intention is, of course, for the viewer to make up their own minds about how they feel about Raymond, his morals and his business, it actually makes for a curiously detached and lightweight viewing experience.
One suspects that Greenhalgh's script may have probed deeper, but the film lets off Raymond very lightly for his actions, particularly his terrible and fatal over-indulgence of his child, and isn't sure whether it wants to be a snappy comedy, a serious drama, or both.
This is typified by a scene where Paul Raymond meets his teen-aged son from a previous relationship for the first time - it's obviously a very emotional moment for both characters, but Winterbottom seems unsure of the tone that's needed for it. Even the array of British comedy actors and stand-ups in supporting parts add to the overall frothy, insubstantial feel.
Michael Winterbottom is one of Britain's most eclectic and hardest-working directors. At one point he was averaging a film a year, and he has tackled nearly every genre imaginable.
Verdict
His previous films with Steve Coogan ('24 Hour Party People', 'A Cock And Bull Story' and 'The Trip') have all been uniformly excellent. 'The Look Of Love', sadly, just falls short. As well acted and handsomely shot as it is, what it needed was a more incisive approach, and ultimately, like a Big Mac, as fun and attractive as it seems while it lasts, it's not particularly satisfying or memorable, and you'll be craving something more, not long after it's finished.
Three Stars out of five.
Written By Dani Walsh.
Director: Michael Winterbottom.
Cast: Steve Coogan, Anna Friel, Tamsin Egerton, Imogen Poots.
Rated 18 for: Strong sexualised nudity, sex and hard drug use.
Michael Winterbottom and Steve Coogan re-unite for the fourth time in 'The Look Of Love', a biopic of Paul Raymond, the self-proclaimed "King of Soho" and one-time "Richest Man In Britain". Not bad, as Raymond says several times throughout, for a lad who got off the boat from Liverpool with a fiver in his pocket. And the catalyst for his huge wealth and empire? Well, it was the realisation that men like to look at beautiful women who happen to be nude.
Scripted by Matt Greenhalgh, who previously did sterling work on the Ian Curtis biopic 'Control', the movie looks at the changing attitudes to nudity from the stuffy '50's to the swinging '60's and beyond, but the main focus of the film is his relationship with the three most important women in his life - his wife (Friel), his lover (Egerton) and his daughter Debbie (Poots), the true love of his life and intended heir to his throne.
Anna Friel does well with a role that could have easily become shrill and annoying in the hands of a less gifted actress, Tamsin Egerton is revelatory as Raymond's beautiful and put-upon mistress, and Imogen Poots confirms her growing status as one of England's finest young actresses with a moving, poignant portrayal as a girl with too much money and no one to say "no" to her.
However, it all feels a bit empty. Michael Winterbottom makes the decision to try and lens the proceedings as a casual observer, with zero objectivity or bias. While the intention is, of course, for the viewer to make up their own minds about how they feel about Raymond, his morals and his business, it actually makes for a curiously detached and lightweight viewing experience.
One suspects that Greenhalgh's script may have probed deeper, but the film lets off Raymond very lightly for his actions, particularly his terrible and fatal over-indulgence of his child, and isn't sure whether it wants to be a snappy comedy, a serious drama, or both.
This is typified by a scene where Paul Raymond meets his teen-aged son from a previous relationship for the first time - it's obviously a very emotional moment for both characters, but Winterbottom seems unsure of the tone that's needed for it. Even the array of British comedy actors and stand-ups in supporting parts add to the overall frothy, insubstantial feel.
Michael Winterbottom is one of Britain's most eclectic and hardest-working directors. At one point he was averaging a film a year, and he has tackled nearly every genre imaginable.
Verdict
His previous films with Steve Coogan ('24 Hour Party People', 'A Cock And Bull Story' and 'The Trip') have all been uniformly excellent. 'The Look Of Love', sadly, just falls short. As well acted and handsomely shot as it is, what it needed was a more incisive approach, and ultimately, like a Big Mac, as fun and attractive as it seems while it lasts, it's not particularly satisfying or memorable, and you'll be craving something more, not long after it's finished.
Three Stars out of five.
Written By Dani Walsh.
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