Mindhorn

Mindhorn review

Mindhorn is inoffensively silly.

Mindhorn review

Julian Barratt's bionic TV cop carries this Partridge-esque comedy spoof. Thanks to a snappy script and a committed lead, this turns out to be one of the most intelligent, entertaining comedies of the year. And with the right script, this comeback king could even be in with a sequel.

Mindhorn: Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby interview

When you get to chat to two comedy geniuses at once, it doesn't feel much like an interview.

Co-written by and starring Julian Barratt, Mindhorn sees the former Mighty Boosh star make an effortless bid for big screen stardom with a rich comedy creation that puts a distinctively British spin on the monster that is minor celebrity. The title is the name of the naff British super cop Barratt's fading actor, the wonderfully monikered Richard Longcroft, once played in a hit TV show in the 1980s. Pitched somewhere between The Professionals, The Bionic Man and Bergerac (it was set on the Isle of Man), the show brought Longcroft a degree of fame but no humility - a bad combination that saw him burn all his bridges before heading off to America in a failed bid to break Hollywood. All of which is hilariously sketched out in the opening minutes, something that makes his subsequent fall all the more tragic when we catch up with him as a middle-aged, overweight, hairpiece-sporting actor who can't even hold down a gig advertising orthopedic socks. Though this also makes the character very much of a piece with the likes of Alan Partridge - a connection made more explicit by Steve Coogan's co-starring role as Longcroft's acting nemesis - Mindhorn distinguishes itself with a high-concept, Galaxy Quest-style premise that sees Longcroft returning to the Isle of Man to help the local police draw out a delusional killer who thinks Mindhorn is real. As Longcroft attempts to exploit the PR opportunities of his new role to relaunch his career, the subsequent gag rate is ridiculously high - with an emphasis on ridiculous - but Barratt also knows how to mine pathos from the character without getting all sentimental, which helps debut feature director Sean Foley (and co-writer and co-star Simon Farnaby - cast here as Mindhorn's former stunt double) keep the resulting action sharp and relentlessly funny.

Mindhorn - howlingly funny

Julian Barratt plays a one-time 1980s TV star in a British comedy packed with unexpected pleasures.

Video: Julian Barratt and Simon Farnaby's comedy heroes

To celebrate the release of Mindhorn in UK cinemas, we sat down with Barratt and Farnaby for a brief chat - but rather than simply throw questions at them in the standard junket set-up, we got them to interview each other about their comedy heroes.

Mindhorn review

Julian Barratt's 'bionic Bergerac' spoof isn't quite as mighty as the Boosh.

Mindhorn review

The script is packed with good lines.

Mindhorn review

The skill is in Barratt's ability to make a true comic hero out of Mindhorn.

Mindhorn review

It's engaging and funny enough but can't ever quite shake off the suspicion that it's an idea stretched beyond its means - a story better suited to the small screen than to the cinema.