I think the reason I shunned this, was that I have seen previous versions of this story. Plus, I was unsure how director Armando Ianucci would portray this, as he is more into his satires.
But when I finally got round to seeing this, I could not believe how much I was enjoying this.
Ianucci managed to make this really refreshing and give us so many memorable performances. The dialogue style that the director is known for managed to work so well throughout. The writing was also enhanced by the performances. This really was a strong ensemble cast.
Dev Patel showed great range throughout. From his execution to his dialogue, to his facial expressions to his physical acting, Patel showcased it all in this one. Hugh Laurie was a revelation in this. That sympathetic craziness that his character had made Laurie the perfect choice to channel his comedic days with Rowan Atkinson and Stephen Fry.
A couple of others that were as memorable were Peter Capaldi and Ben Whishaw. Capaldi, who is here a regular collaborate with Iannuci continues to showcase the best of his acting talent within the directors projects.
For Whishaw, he gave his character a really slimy presence throughout and you knew he was instantly untrustworthy. Whishaw's character was given a solid character arc and wonderfully capitalised by enhancing it with a memorable performance.
Also have to give props to Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Gwendoline Christie and Aneurin Barnard for their contribution.
With it being a period drama, all the usual aspects of production design, costumes, makeup and hair were of the highest quality. Plus, the cinematography certainly made you appreciate the craftmanship within those aspects. It was a pleasant film to look at, had a nice colour palette and the imagery really made me appreciate the finer details that were on screen.
Considering there are multiple versions of this classic story that I have seen, this was a really nice surprise. Iannucci's style and choices made managed to work, Patel was a wonderful casting choice of the titular character and the entire cast were one of the strongest ensembles I have seen for some time.
I always appreciate Iannucci's work, and this is another strong piece of work that I would happily watch again.
Rating: 8/10
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