Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose

Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose is as frustratingly short as its title is long, but as minor films go, it is immensely charming and leaves a profoundly lasting impression. Admittedly, the material is not exactly funny enough to be considered comedic, nor is it weighty enough to pack much of an emotional punch, however, the cast gives wonderfully restrained yet quirky performances, the writing, albeit slight, is clever, if not intelligent, and the final cinematic product is intricate and handsome. If you are looking to lose ninety minutes of your life and do not want to think too hard, but also do not wish to turn your brain completely off, this mild gem is not without its moments of intrigue and pleasure. Additionally, should you be grappling with mortality and/or the meaning of existence, you might just find your time spent with Gef the Mongoose to be a weirdly cathartic experience.

This movie was barely funny and had a very thin plot. I even paid to rent it from Prime and didn't bother watching the last 30 minutes because I didn't care what happened. The actors are wasted in this. There is a summary of the Gef mongoose incident in Wikipedia. Read that if you're curious. I don't watch movies for gorgeous camera work, unfortunately, so to me this is a solid 4. I'd rather watch a gripping story on videotape. This could've been cut down to an hour, easily--not that much happens! Editing, costumes, and camera work do not make up for a poor script. If you have insomnia, this could be a good choice for you. Normally I love Simon Pegg but this was just a very boring movie. I even enjoy Jane Austen movies, and "costume dramas," as they're called, with dense dialog and no action. There was just very little to hang onto here.

I had high hopes for this film. The cast, the acting, filming and all are excellent. Sadly, This story never takes flight. It makes its intended statements; let people believe what they want, and what happens next (after life), but doesn't make them in any interesting way. It falls flat on storytelling craft. There were so many ways to have created intrigue and explore the reasons why Jeff was so beloved, but none were taken. Why didnt we ever get to see mire of the daughters story? That was interesting, and it ended as soon as it started. So disappointing. And the way it ended was hollow, uninteresting and lazy.

Don't expect side splitting comedy, be aware it's very British Humour, so much of the looks will be lost on those unaware.

The fact the mongoose is called Gef (Geoff) for instance gets +1 rating instantly, cause any animals called Geoff is obviously a winner.

Acting is first class throughout - what a cast! Lovely to see Tim Downie in anything, but look at all the rest of the cast: what a cast! And you can tell they had a lovely time filming it.

Pegg gets to put a performance in instead of Spaced/Cornetto, and it's marvellous.

The micro-expressions/looks and mugging are very well observed to how the British are. Captures small island Britain brilliantly... and that people are possibly just having a bit of a laugh.

The direction and DOP needs a mention, it understands what the story is and doesn't overplay it with weird angles. Gary the Dog did a tremendous job I have to say.

And just a call out for the OST, which is rather lovely indeed.

I read reviews before I watched. I expected to be mildly entertained and extremely bored. I wasn't.

We are taken on a pilgrimage to discover if something you cannot see exists. There is magic, faith and self discovery in this story that I just love. The idea that something exists beyond what we can see and explain is as old as humans telling stories and this was an amazing new way of telling it.

I loved it all. Simon Pegg rarely disappoints and Minnie Driver brings class with levity. I hope there is another with the pair of them. The time set in the 30s is gorgeous - plus, you get to really focus on the story without the burden of technology in the way.

Watch with an open mind and you will find something very exciting.