218. Wild Honey Pie! ; movie review

WILD HONEY PIE!
Cert 15
88 mins

BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex, sex references

Earlier this month, I wrote a review of Songbird which described how nice-but-clumsy Richard Elis somehow punches above his considerable weight when it comes to the love of his life.
Watching Wild Honey Pie! was akin to experiencing deja vu. Once more, Elis has beguiled a beauty with his charms.
The similarities in the film run deeper than his good luck. Both movies are directed by Jamie Adams and both have improvised dialogue.
And both end up with actors trying to be funny and, in my opinion, not managing it.
I'm not underestimating how difficult it is to present lines off the top of the head but evidence leads me to believe that it restricts the cast rather than liberates them.
This time Elis is joined by Jemima Kirke who plays his wife, Gillian - a high-maintenance theatre writer and director.

The pair have a tempestuous relationship in which he tries constantly to please despite her being a royal pain in the ass.
In other words, he is the same puppy dog that he was towards Colbie Smulders' character in Songbird.
Added to the equation are his former girlfriend, played by Sarah Solemani, his best mate (Brett Goldstein) and a gay theatre director (another Adams favourite, Alice Lowe).
I have no doubt that they all had a jolly good time, bouncing off each other's improvised dialogue but  I didn't find it remotely engaging.
One of the additional problems is that Gillian is so obsessed with herself that she isn't alluring to the viewer.
But most of all I was left with a feeling that Adams and his pals are congratulating themselves for creating a new cinematic genre while forgetting one important element - the audience.

Reasons to watch: If you are an actor or enjoy luvvydom
Reasons to avoid: It's way too self-indulgent

Laughs: Two
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: Yes
Overall rating: 4/10

Did you know? The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain and the Independent Theatre Council reached agreement on a two-year deal to increase in minimum rates for writers to £9,176 for a play of over 70 minutes.

The final word. Jemima Kirke: "I think it’s important to remember, if you’re married and you love the person you’re with, that you can come back from these mistakes, you know?” Uinterview

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