frank-liesenborgs
Joined Dec 2014
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Ratings7.3K
frank-liesenborgs's rating
Reviews215
frank-liesenborgs's rating
A home run from Amazon Prime and a stark reminder that when the casting is right, even the silliest concept can be an absolute hit.
3 Misfits. 5 mobsters. 100 minutes of chaos, or 3 Wannabe actors. 4 criminal escapades and 1 hilarious heist?
3 Amateurs. 7 bad guys and endless laughs?
Directed by Tom Kingsley and co-written by Colin Trevorrow. Deep Cover is a buddy crime comedy that fuses absurd improv energy with a sharp, surprisingly structured story. The premise? A London improv teacher and her two misfit students get recruited by a rogue cop to infiltrate the mob. And somehow, it Works, and really well.
And what a cast! Just perfect. Bonnie's got the smarts. Roach's got the fists. The Squire's got... a lunchbox and anxiety.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Argylle - Elly Conway) gives an extraordinary performance as Kat, the fast-talking, improv coach whose life hasn't exactly gone as planned. Caught between professional obscurity and existential drift, she's suddenly in a position but handles it with enough charm and wit to sell coke back to the guys who made it.
Orlando Bloom is another revelation. As Marlon, a hilariously intense method actor whose only real claim to fame is playing the Pizza Knight in TV commercials, Bloom's performance is a delicious send-up of theatrical self-importance. He approaches every ludicrous situation with the gravitas of Macbeth in a Wetherspoons. One of his improv backstories involves running away from home at five because "his inner child needed space." Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso) as the timid and awkward Hugh, rounds out the trio. He's the office worker who took improv classes just to survive small talk at work, until he's accidentally deep in the London criminal underworld. Watching him nervously snort coke to "test the product" might be the funniest moment in British cinema this year.
Together, this trio doesn't just carry the movie, they elevate the movie. Their chemistry is awkwardly brilliant, and their commitment to staying "in character" while navigating real criminal threats brings both genuine tension and laugh-out-loud moments. There's no smugness, no irony overload, just three actors throwing themselves into absurdity with full sincerity.
And the supporting cast? Stacked. Sean Bean as the sketchy cop, Paddy Considine (Kevin Harrigan - Mobland) as an unhinged mob fixer, and Ian McShane (aka Winston - John Wick) growling his way through top-dog gangster role Metcalfe. Surrounding the silliness with actors known for hard-boiled grit was a masterstroke.
Tonally, Deep Cover walks a tricky line and somehow doesn't trip. It's goofy but never stupid, serious without losing its bounce. The pacing is tight, at just over 100 minutes, it never drags. It even throws in a couple of clever twists to keep you guessing. And perhaps best of all? It avoids the lazy crutches of modern comedy: no toilet humor, no sex jokes, no gratuitous swearing. It's smart, situational, and character-driven.
Even the score elevates the movie with tracks like "It's Not Unusual" (Tom Jones) and "We Are Your Friends" (Justice Vs Simian). Fits like a straitjacket.
And absolutely, the plot is ridiculous. But that's kind of the point. And what sets Deep Cover apart is its energy. Unlike so many streaming comedies that feel stitched together in post-production, this movie feels like everyone was in sync. The actors improvise like their lives depend on it. Deep Cover is a riotous, fast-paced, and weirdly wholesome crime comedy that finds its strength not in reinventing the genre, but in committing to the bit. Powered by a cast that knows exactly what they're doing and a script that walks the absurdity tightrope without slipping, this is a film that knows how to make you laugh, care, and forget to check your phone. Whether you're here for the improv chaos, the mob satire, or just to watch Orlando Bloom monologue his way through a hostage negotiation-this one's well worth 100 minutes of your time. A solid 8/10. Better not miss this one...
3 Misfits. 5 mobsters. 100 minutes of chaos, or 3 Wannabe actors. 4 criminal escapades and 1 hilarious heist?
3 Amateurs. 7 bad guys and endless laughs?
Directed by Tom Kingsley and co-written by Colin Trevorrow. Deep Cover is a buddy crime comedy that fuses absurd improv energy with a sharp, surprisingly structured story. The premise? A London improv teacher and her two misfit students get recruited by a rogue cop to infiltrate the mob. And somehow, it Works, and really well.
And what a cast! Just perfect. Bonnie's got the smarts. Roach's got the fists. The Squire's got... a lunchbox and anxiety.
Bryce Dallas Howard (Argylle - Elly Conway) gives an extraordinary performance as Kat, the fast-talking, improv coach whose life hasn't exactly gone as planned. Caught between professional obscurity and existential drift, she's suddenly in a position but handles it with enough charm and wit to sell coke back to the guys who made it.
Orlando Bloom is another revelation. As Marlon, a hilariously intense method actor whose only real claim to fame is playing the Pizza Knight in TV commercials, Bloom's performance is a delicious send-up of theatrical self-importance. He approaches every ludicrous situation with the gravitas of Macbeth in a Wetherspoons. One of his improv backstories involves running away from home at five because "his inner child needed space." Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso) as the timid and awkward Hugh, rounds out the trio. He's the office worker who took improv classes just to survive small talk at work, until he's accidentally deep in the London criminal underworld. Watching him nervously snort coke to "test the product" might be the funniest moment in British cinema this year.
Together, this trio doesn't just carry the movie, they elevate the movie. Their chemistry is awkwardly brilliant, and their commitment to staying "in character" while navigating real criminal threats brings both genuine tension and laugh-out-loud moments. There's no smugness, no irony overload, just three actors throwing themselves into absurdity with full sincerity.
And the supporting cast? Stacked. Sean Bean as the sketchy cop, Paddy Considine (Kevin Harrigan - Mobland) as an unhinged mob fixer, and Ian McShane (aka Winston - John Wick) growling his way through top-dog gangster role Metcalfe. Surrounding the silliness with actors known for hard-boiled grit was a masterstroke.
Tonally, Deep Cover walks a tricky line and somehow doesn't trip. It's goofy but never stupid, serious without losing its bounce. The pacing is tight, at just over 100 minutes, it never drags. It even throws in a couple of clever twists to keep you guessing. And perhaps best of all? It avoids the lazy crutches of modern comedy: no toilet humor, no sex jokes, no gratuitous swearing. It's smart, situational, and character-driven.
Even the score elevates the movie with tracks like "It's Not Unusual" (Tom Jones) and "We Are Your Friends" (Justice Vs Simian). Fits like a straitjacket.
And absolutely, the plot is ridiculous. But that's kind of the point. And what sets Deep Cover apart is its energy. Unlike so many streaming comedies that feel stitched together in post-production, this movie feels like everyone was in sync. The actors improvise like their lives depend on it. Deep Cover is a riotous, fast-paced, and weirdly wholesome crime comedy that finds its strength not in reinventing the genre, but in committing to the bit. Powered by a cast that knows exactly what they're doing and a script that walks the absurdity tightrope without slipping, this is a film that knows how to make you laugh, care, and forget to check your phone. Whether you're here for the improv chaos, the mob satire, or just to watch Orlando Bloom monologue his way through a hostage negotiation-this one's well worth 100 minutes of your time. A solid 8/10. Better not miss this one...
Companion is a darkly comedic, sci-fi thriller that doesn't reinvent the genre but delivers an entertaining ride filled with bloody chaos and unexpected twists. While it treads familiar ground explored in Humans, and The Creator, it remains internally consistent with a solid, engaging narrative.
Sophie Thatcher shines as Iris (reads SIRI in the mirror...), a 'companion robot,' leading a strong cast that includes the always-entertaining Harvey Guillén. Jack Quaid, while enjoyable, risks becoming typecast as the 'weak nice guy,' with his performance feeling reminiscent of his roles in The Boys and Novocaine.
The film strikes a fine balance between dark humor, action, and sci-fi intrigue. It may not be particularly memorable, but it's a fun, well-crafted watch that genre fans will appreciate-likely earning a place on future "underrated sci-fi" lists.
Sophie Thatcher shines as Iris (reads SIRI in the mirror...), a 'companion robot,' leading a strong cast that includes the always-entertaining Harvey Guillén. Jack Quaid, while enjoyable, risks becoming typecast as the 'weak nice guy,' with his performance feeling reminiscent of his roles in The Boys and Novocaine.
The film strikes a fine balance between dark humor, action, and sci-fi intrigue. It may not be particularly memorable, but it's a fun, well-crafted watch that genre fans will appreciate-likely earning a place on future "underrated sci-fi" lists.
This psychological horror film, directed by Damian McCarthy (known for Oddity in 2024), follows a lone drifter with memory loss who takes a job caring for a mentally troubled woman in an abandoned house on a desolate island. The story unfolds with eerie suspense, as unsettling mysteries slowly unravel. It's reminiscent of The Babadook and The Witch in its atmospheric dread, though with fewer scares or gore. While the slow pace and ambiguous ending may not suit thrill-seekers, true horror fans will appreciate its tension and creepy moments. Although it's not perfect, it's an engaging descent into madness worth watching. 7/10.
