The Baker

Assassin Milo (Damian Lewis) is having second thoughts about his latest target when rival Bjorn (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau) takes the shot. Their organization assigns his termination to Bjorn. Milo escapes into the Welsh countryside to property owned by his mentor Leo (Michael Gambon). He's burying his gun case when he is hit by an exploding sheep head. After cared for by Rhiannon (Kate Ashfield), he is mistaken for a baker taking on the alias Milo Shakespeare. Eggs is a local youth who blew up the sheep and stolen his guns. Soon, rumors of Milo as a hired assassin spread and some people actually have jobs for him.

The town folks are dark and wacky but not necessarily funny. They are not that appealing. This is a dark comedy which needs more comedy. Damian Lewis has great dead-pan mannerisms. He's able to inject some quirkiness but he needs a comedic partner. This has potential for something outrageously funny but it never really gets there.

This comedy is as dark as they come, these black comedy's. This is a film made for pure entertainment, and there's no deeper meaning to be found. If you want some British dark humor, with bad taste and disgusting scenes, you got it here!

A retiring hit-man starts following his childhood dream, and starts off a new career as a local baker, trying to get away from his dangerous boss. But his strong reputation isn't going away just like that, and he's asked to bake a couple of murders. And his boss is no fool, and still dangerous.

I can't help remembering a couple if other food related films, when it comes to watching this. Delicatessen, Le Grande Buffet, Chocolat, Fried Green Tomatoes and even the cookery in The Perfume.

As almost always with British films, this is spot on when it comes to the acting, and I love that the film is kept in vibrant colors with camera filters, which gives the film a warm look, though it's quite cold when it comes to emotions. Maybe the music is a bit too much on the crazy side. At least I would have chosen differently.

Still this is an entertaining flick in the Hit-man black comedy genre. If you liked this, check out these from the same sub genre of black comedies: In Bruges, One night at McCools, Burn after reading, Red (and Red 2). See my list of great black comedy for more.

I want to make a stand for The British Who Enjoyed This Film. We've watched this a few times with others and everybody has been in stitches, and are spreading the word.

The comic timing and perfect delivery of the dialogue is superb, its simplicity and cadence brilliant (but obviously lost on some who found it 'wooden'), enhanced by a set of very comic characters. It's refreshing to see actors from a wider pool employed instead of the same-old same-old hi-popularity niche.

The choreography fits the music like a glove - one of the best sex scenes ever. :-) Don't get put off by the nay-sayers - they'd probably not enjoy street theatre either.

This is a film which is very easy to like, possibly because the rather dark subject matter is presented in such a cartoonish way. In fact, after watching it I was surprised NOT to see Nick Park's name anywhere in the creative process. It had all his commonly-used attributes, surreal plot, quirky, cartoon-like characters and a strong sense of wry mischief. All the characters except for the key players are ridiculous, one-dimensional figures with almost no back-story. They are there only to be amusing or to be shot. Or both. The whole thing is a real treat and it doesn't out-stay its welcome. Great music too!

Damian Lewis, later of Black Sails and Band of Brothers fame stars in this quirky English film as the affable lead who is an assassin searching for love. He makes his way to Gwynfyd where he decides to try his hand at baking. The townspeople of Gwynfyd themselves are an odd bunch and Milo, our would be assassin tries to fit in.

A movie that is reminiscent of A Knights Tale, in that it does not take itself seriously, pokes fun at itself, the main leads back then are next to nobodys when the movie was made and overall, a light-hearted silly film that you can enjoy once. It certainly wont win any awards but is worth a watch on a night in when you dont want anything too serious or intense.