In the Loop (2009)
Most people think, probably rightly, that politics is just about the most boring thing in existence. This current election, which was called on April 18th, has felt like it has lasted for an eternity. And not everyone is able to maintain a “Strong and Stable” mindset throughout this godforsaken thing. However, if you really go looking for it, you can often find a lot to laugh at in the world of politics.
From the mockery of government bureaucracy in the brilliant Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister, the nightmarishly funny pantomime of Spitting Image in the Thatcher years, to the scathing and foul-mouthed mockery of the Blair era of political spin in The Thick of It, political satire is something we Brits (although as a Scotsman I think my association with anything British is on borrowed time) do better than anyone else. And before commenters bring up something like Veep as an example of American political satire, keep in mind that it was created by British comedy writers.
With such a plentiful well of political piss taking to choose from, I narrowed it down to a film that is one of the best that British political satire has to offer. That film is Armando Iannucci’s blisteringly funny In the Loop.
A spin-off of BBC satire The Thick of It, the film deals with the confused situation that arises when a British government minister makes a series of embarrassing gaffes that could threaten to derail the UK and US governments plan to launch a military intervention in the Middle East.
Before he was entertaining millions as everyone favourite time travelling alien, Peter Capaldi was arguably best known for his hilarious and ferocious performance as Downing Street “spin doctor” Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It, a role which he thankfully reprises in In the Loop. Capaldi delivers a truly incredible performance packed with all manner of creative, vicious and foul-mouthed insults, threats and observations that are music to my ears. With such hits as “allow me to pop a jaunty little bonnet on your purview and ram it up the shitter with a lubricated horse cock” or “if I could I’d punch you into paralysis” to name but a few of his plentiful well of bile and rage.
Capaldi’s performance dominates the film and reveals the veteran Scottish actor as the undisputed king of angry Scotsman on-screen and perhaps the finest teacher you could ever ask for on how to truly swear like you mean it.
While Capaldi’s mastery over the f-word and it’s numerous variations is unparalleled, he does some stiff competition from Paul Higgins as Downing Street press officer Jamie McDonald or as Foster dubs him “the crossest man in Scotland”. A whirlwind of rage and foul language that’s possibly more vicious than Tucker, with Higgins delivering probably the funniest performance after Capaldi, with his character’s introduction alone being a veritable gold mine of vicious observations.
Like his greeting of Foster with “If it isn’t Humpty Numpty sitting upon a collapsing wall like some clueless egg…..cunt”, before referring to him “YOU FLAILING WALRUS FUCKK!!!”. I personally love his passionate rant against the uselessness of builders asking “Have you ever seen a film where the hero was a builder? NO, BECAUSE THEY NEVER FUCKING TURN UP IN THE NICK OF TIME!!”.
The always excellent Tom Hollander also delivers a brilliant performance as the bumbling government minister Simon Foster, probably the most realistic depiction of a spineless politician that I’ve ever seen, with his confusing and contradictory comments about a Middle Eastern conflict being the catalyst for the film’s plot. I love his use of rather stereotypical empty political statements like “to walk the road of peace, sometimes we need to be ready to climb the mountain of conflict”.
Hollander’s performance so convincing in its authenticity that it now constantly reminds me of Tory MP and Wikipedia editing master Grant Shapps (aka Michael Green aka Keiser Soze), a perpetually useless individual whose only notable skills is that of self-sabotage. And in Shapps case having the likeability and charm of a flaming bag of dog s**t.
The film doesn’t limit itself to mocking British politics though, the Americans get a hit from the satirical sword, with the film acting as something of a bridge between The Thick of It and Iannucci’s acclaimed HBO satire Veep, with Anna Chlumsky appearing in both as different but similar characters.
The most notable figure on the American side of things is the late James Gandolfini as US General Miller, with his performance being an underrated display of his comic skills that we sadly didn’t get to see enough of in his career. I also give him credit in his particularly aggressive encounter with Tucker, where he manages to inflict quite possibly the most offensive and devastating insult that anyone can throw at a Scotsman. Calling him English.
I think we’re in agreement dear readers when I say that I really haven’t done justice in my review for In the Loop. I must confess that this is a surprisingly difficult film to review, mainly because quite frankly the best way to get the full experience is to simply watch it.
Blisteringly funny, razor-sharp in its satirical observations and gifted by some of the funniest performances ever committed to film courtesy of Peter Capaldi and Paul Higgins, In the Loop is, above all the others in this series, the film that I feel you should definitely watch this election night. Get it watched.
Thanks again for reading and if there is still time to do so I implore you all to cast your votes.
If you have any other political dramas/comedies whether they are TV shows or films to recommend, or if you want to accuse me of being politically biased, do feel free to leave your suggestions/hate mail in the comments.
I might also be persuaded to look across the pond at some American political dramas because God knows fictional US politics makes a lot more sense than the real thing at the moment, so feel free to throw me so US political madness.
Thanks again and good night.
Graeme Robertson
