Bad Tidings (2024)

2024 was a very good year for the stars of Bad Tidings, which meant the timing seemed perfect for this Christmas movie. Chris McCausland was very popular on Strictly Come Dancing, raising his own profile as well as challenging perceptions and inspiring others by becoming the first blind winner, and Lee Mack seemed to become a permanent household fixture on TV, thanks to his presence on one or two comedy panel shows and his stint hosting The 1% Club. Putting them in a movie that had one being a capable blind man and one being a bit of a sarcastic grump didn't seem like a bad idea.

Co-written by Laurence Rickard, Martha Howe-Douglas, and McCausland, this is best described as a cross between Home Alone and any film about feuding neighbours. Mack plays Neil, a man who becomes more and more obsessed with his neighbour, Scott (McCausland). Neil believes that Scott is deliberately trying to wind him up, especially when it comes to his Christmas decorations. He can't complain too much though, because then everyone would accuse him of picking on an innocent blind man. Scott isn't as innocent as he appears though. Whatever their differences, Neil and Scott need to team up and work together when the plot contrives to have them being the only two people at home as their street is targeted by some opportunistic robbers.

While there are a few chuckles here and there, especially in the third act, I was really hoping for a bit more from Bad Tidings. It's good enough, but it just never hits the heights you might expect from the two talented leads, especially considering the fact that the film feels tailored to play to their strengths. A major factor may be director Tim Kirkby, who has spent a large part of his career filming TV comedy and stand-up work. Kirkby struggles to keep things moving smoothly enough, making the 80-minute runtime feel a bit overlong when you think of the wasted potential.

Both Mack and McCausland do well enough in the main roles, both very comfortable in roles that don't require them to stray too far from the onscreen personas they have presented for years now. Rebekah Staton, Ben Crompton, Emily Coates, and Josiah Eloi play the family of robbers, and they're fine, and the only other cast members worth mentioning are Sarah Alexander and Millie Kiss. 

Maybe my lukewarm response to this is due to me getting my hopes up. I'd seen the advertising and thought I'd be in for something a bit superior to other TV movies of the season. While it's certainly a step away from the star vehicles we get from America, it still aims to be a relatively inoffensive distraction for those just wanting something that can be viewed while wrapping presents and/or sitting down with a nice big cup of hot chocolate. I enjoyed the Christmas special of The 1% Club Christmas Special more though.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing, and ALL of the links you need are here - https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share

Prime Time: Bill (2015)

If you enjoy the Horrible Histories series, or movie (which uses the brand, but doesn't use the same people), and if you enjoy Ghosts (the British incarnation, which features a lot of the same people both behind and in front of the camera), then you should find Bill an very enjoyable and amusing slice of hysterical historical entertainment. Okay, it may not be hysterical, but that sentence was too tempting for me. It IS very funny though.

Matthew Baynton plays the Bill of the title. William is his proper name, of course. William Shakespeare. Shakespeare wants to become a celebrated playwright, of course, but doesn’t seem to have the skillset required. That doesn’t stop him from persevering though, and he is soon tasked with writing “the greatest play ever performed” for an Earl (Simon Farnaby) who has himself oversold his own talent to a demanding Queen Elizabeth I (Helen McCrory). The play will be the backdrop for a very important meeting between the Queen and King Phillip II of Spain (Ben Willbond), the latter arriving on the shores of Britain with a band of schemers and killers he hopes will help him take over the reign of the country, and pressure keeps mounting on Shakespeare. Pulled in numerous directions at once, our writer at least has the help of one Christopher Marlowe (Jim Howick) to get the play finished.

Co-written by Laurence Rickard (who also features onscreen) and the aforementioned Willbond, Bill is a lively and lovely collage of silliness, mixing smart and sly gags with wonderful absurdity and cheesy puns. Those who know a bit more about the main characters will find the film slightly more rewarding, but almost everything is designed to allow newcomers a near-equal amount of enjoyment. Director Richard Bracewell doesn’t do anything special, but he makes the savvy decision to work perfectly in service of the script and performances, resulting in something that is more focused on being entertaining than being stylish and cinematic.

Everyone involved tends to take on multiple roles, giving the whole thing a wonderful “let’s put on a show” atmosphere throughout, but Baynton, Farnaby,Willbond, and Howick are consistently excellent in any one of their varied roles (although it should be said that Farnaby remains a top scene-stealer, particularly when playing a Spanish assassin). Martha Howe-Douglas does a good job in the role of the exasperated Anne Hathaway, worrying about the career prospects of a husband who seems to have his head in the clouds, and also has fun portraying other characters, and McCrory gives much-needed weight to the pivotal role of Queen Elizabeth I, wisely delivering the most serious performance amidst the unfolding chaos and gags.

I had a great time with this, but I know I am pre-disposed to this kind of thing (having enjoyed the work of all the main performers in similar works). It’s hard to imagine anyone actively hating this, especially if you’re after something inoffensive and eager to please,  but I know that some may roll their eyes and groan at the many moments that had me grinning and chuckling. It’s a comedy of errors that some will dismiss as much ado about nothing. I hope more people side with me though,  and you should definitely check out the shows mentioned in the first paragraph if you do enjoy this.

7/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share