In The Loop

Iannucci on Sweariest Oscar-Nominated Script Ever

Movieline's first stop on the Oscar-reaction rounds is Armando Iannucci, the In the Loop director whose caustic political satire today earned an Adapted Screenplay nomination for him and his co-writers Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell and Tony Roche. However, more than just being rewarded for the innovation of its characters and story - which focuses on how one press-office zealot engineers a multinational war effort - the Academy may very well have nominated Iannucci and Co. for their exhaustive efforts in developing Loop's stirring new lexicon of profanity. Their side-splitting effort is the only comedy recognized in its respective category - no doubt an underdog against the likes of Up in the Air and Precious, but one that will be happy just to be in the Kodak Theater March 7.

Iannucci spoke with us this afternoon about his reaction to being nominated, Loop's improv factor, and taking Oscar to the outer limits of screen vulgarity.

In the Loop and leads nominations for Scottish Baftas

The political satire In The Loop has three nominations, for actor Peter Capaldi, director Armando Iannucci and the film's writers.

Chris Addison Interview

Den Of Geek chats to actor Chris Addison about In The Loop, touring and sitting next to Tom Baker...

DVD of the Week: In The Loop

In The Loop was released on DVD this week and, although it may have a dirty mouth, it is one of the funniest British films of the decade.

Funniest film of 2009? This hilariously biting political satire has already got my vote. Think Yes, Minister with more swearing. A lot more swearing. OK, ballistic levels of swearing. Swearing so sublime and breathtakingly vicious, it makes you wince with pleasure.

As discerning comedy fans will already know, this is the movie adaptation of The Thick Of It, Armando Iannucci's massively acclaimed TV sitcom, which means that by the rules of such transitions, it should be pants.

Yet there are no compromises to be found here, certainly not in the teeth department. With original star Chris Langham unavailable due to his conviction for downloading child porn - a chain of events beyond even the show's scurrilous imagination - it's up to the ever-marvellous Tom Hollander to play hapless secretary of state Simon Foster, who bleats out lines such as: 'To walk the road of peace, sometimes we need to be prepared to climb the mountain of conflict.' Only to be savaged by the PM's rabid Alastair Campbell-alike communications officer, Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi). 'Climb the mountain of conflict?' he scoffs. 'You sound like some Nazi Julie Andrews.'

Bounced along at every turn by brilliant aphorisms and comic turns, including The Sopranos's James Gandolfini bulking out the transatlantic audience appeal as a warmongering general, there's admittedly not much in the way of actual narrative. But, frankly, who cares when you're laughing this hard?

Watch an exclusive deleted scene from In the Loop

Armando Iannucci's blistering satire is out on DVD on 24 August. Remind yourself why Peter Bradshaw awarded it five stars with this exclusive deleted scene, in which Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) mouths off over the phone. Warning: there will be swearing.

One last thing ...

The In The Loop satirist on politics, pizzas and swearing in front of his mum. Armando Iannucci talks to Rich Pelley.

In The Loop's Armando Iannucci on his favourites

The world as listed by the writer and director.

Armando Iannucci: 'I don't despise politicans'

The creator of 'In the Loop' and 'The Thick of It' is one of the funniest men in Britain. Is he also one of the angriest?

Armando Iannucci: Making In The Loop

I managed to break into the State Department when I was out in DC researching the movie. I had a terrible, amateur BBC identity pass, with basically my face printed off Google and my name under it. A child could have produced it in twenty seconds.