126. Swede Caroline; movie review

 

SWEDE CAROLINE

Cert 15

97 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, sex references, bloody violence

One of my first assignments as a junior reporter was to file vegetable competition results from the annual Birmingham Show.

It opened my eyes because I had no concept of the varieties of carrots, parsnips, potatoes and, of course, marrows.

There were prizes for best-presented veg but the big plaudits went to the whoppers, proving that size really does matter.

The rivalry among those producing corking crops is the unlikely backdrop for Finn Bruce & Brook Driver's Swede Caroline.

It stars Jo Hartley in the title role - a giant marrow grower who misses out on gold because of a technicality.

Richard Lumsden and Celyn Jones play two of her allies with more than a hint of romantic intent.

They set out to prove who has it in for her, and despite their clumsiness and several false starts, their hunches begin to bear fruit (geddit?).

Meanwhile, there is an innuendo avalanche thanks to two of Caroline's friends (Ray Fearon and Aisling Bea) being swinger party organisers.

Swede Caroline elicits smiles rather than belly laughs. It is the type of quintessential British comedy that was regularly seen on TV in the 1980s and 90s.

Hartley pitches just right, while Lumsden and Jones are likeable clowns to her straight lead.

Meanwhile, a bunch of exaggerated but recognisable characters protect their respective patches as the battle for vegetable honours comes to the boil.

There is also a somewhat impenetrable dig at politicians and corrupt companies.

Swede Caroline is offbeat and original but will likely be a small-screen success rather than a cinema hit.

Reasons to watch: Offbeat, original British comedy

Reasons to avoid: Smiles rather than laughs

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: Bare bum

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? The heaviest marrow on record weighed 116.4 kg (256 lb 9.8 oz) and was grown by Vincent Sjodin for entry in the CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championships at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern on 23 September 2021.

The final word. Jo Hartley: "Caroline appeals to the everyman. She’s brave, unconventional, messy, down to earth and has a huge heart, she’s real. She fights for her friends, never gives up on her mission and is searching for the truth."

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