184. Guardians; movie review

GUARDIANS
Cert 15
85 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex references

Indie comedies are tough which is why most low-budget films are horrors. Put simply, making people laugh is much more difficult than shocking them.
Nevertheless, hats of to Mark A.C. Brown for trying to tickle audiences' ribs with a smartly-scripted, offbeat movie about house-sitting in London.
Matt Prendergast plays the film's subject, Carlson, who settles into his new home, expecting a quiet life but experiences anything but.
Actually he is the straight man to myriad strange characters who cross his path.
I was particularly taken with Mike Shephard as the verbose agent who has a very interesting line in analogies.
David Whitney plays the eccentric fellow house-sitter who also can't stop talking, albeit rather inanely.
He and Carlson make a rather unlikely team in trying to protect the property without having either the physical or mental prowess to do so.
Guardians is typical of the type of comedy which may appeal to Bohemian London luvvies or even those with middle class aspirations.
Ultimately, it is in danger of being too clever for its own good with its plethora of long words and smart cultural references.
It feels like a theatre piece rather than a film - indeed, I could see it going down well with attendees of the Edinburgh fringe but less with the multiplex crowds.
That said, its heart is in the right place and I was happy to give it 85 minutes of my time... and I found myself smiling aplenty.
Heaven forfend. Am I becoming a luvvie?

Reasons to watch: Quirky indie comedy
Reasons to avoid: Not enough laugh-out-loud moments

Laughs: A few chuckles
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Bum cheeks
Overall rating: 6/10

Director quote - Mark A.C. Brown: "We got everyone together and said are you up for it, there's no money and everyone was game."

The big question - What motivates film-makers when they have so many knock-backs?

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