Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise

This very different story about salesmen selling vacuum cleaners is dominated by the impressive talents of Timothy Spall as the character Tommy Rag. Spall is absolutely hilarious at the start of the movie as the loud, repulsive Tommy who shows rookie salesman Pete (Michael Begley) the ins and outs of the art of selling people things they don't need or want. Tommy's extreme behaviour (perhaps best displayed in his erratic, abusive driving) is a real treat to watch, almost as if the part was written for Timothy Spall's acting.

Unfortunately, the entertainment value of the film lulled a bit during the middle and end, as the film's characters' circumstances changed and a darker tone was taken. This in itself isn't a bad thing in a movie, but I just found the final two-thirds of the movie didn't match the very funny and entertaining first third.

3 stars/5

"Death of a Salesman" meets "Glengarry Glenn Ross" on acid, this portrait of the empty, horrible life of door-to-door selling was made on the cheap in 20 days for the BBC. It has Boyle's characteristic energy, and playful eye and a great, if occasionally over-the-top performance by Timothy Spall as a salesman brilliant at his craft if without a shred or morality or self-worth left, along with a solid performance by Michael Begley as the young 'rookie' assigned to apprentice with Spall.

All that good stuff said, I just wish this was deeper. It's dark, certainly, but there's a certain familiarity and even glibness to it's manic attack on capitalism. Enjoyable, fun, sad, but it feels like inside this good movie was a great one looking to get out.

Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise - isn't that one of those rare titles for a movie that you just have to ponder over for a little while, like Duck You Sucker! or Pillow of Death? If the movie doesn't quite live up to the its title like 'Sucker' did or 'Pillow' definitely did not, then it's to director Danny Boyle's credit that he keeps it moving fast and maniacally but with his own kind of sensitivity to the characters that doesn't make us see them as too pathetic or too "out-there" to care. He also films this story of a wannabe DJ working as a vacuum salesman (Michael Begley), paired as a rookie with the veteran/hard-bitten and ranting and raving man (Timothy Spall) who could definitely tangle with Alec Baldwin in Glegarry Glen Ross to see who wins out in selling something to a reluctant or just not-there customer, like it's a movie on the run for $100.

In a way that makes it an amazingly brash affair in a good way; we see these guys in their car or Spall making a sale or just Begley at home freaking out when his girlfriend leaves him as if it's all candid or on the run. He shoots with several little cameras in a car or shoots with a dirty filter in a dance hall, and if one has seen Slumdog Millionaire or 28 Days Later you may notice a similar lucid insanity (if that makes sense) of style. In another way it can be distracting to the actual plot, or whatever of it there is, but he thankfully allows his actors to take over much of the control throughout.

While Begley, a British TV actor I've never seen before and may not see again, was very good in that fresh-faced "what-is-this-world" perspective (with a breathless freak-out after finding a dead body that is priceless), it's Timothy Spall's show. An actor who's been in plenty of Mike Leigh films and some big blockbusters like Harry Potter, Spall imbues his character with purpose and drive and a deliberate knack for getting people with him killed while driving, playing outrageously simply and funny motivation tapes with hardcore music and "Sell! Sell! F***ing Sell!" blasting away, and acting totally out of control but devilishly in control at the same time. It's remarkable work considering it's just a TV movie, but any moment he's on screen, especially those last moments that (un)intentionally echo La Strada, you can't look away for the better.

i´ve just seen this film once, last year, and i must say i found it very hilarious. timothy spall plays a big role. the way he teaches his new colleague and his lifestyle made me cry (laughing).

in fact it is a black humour film, very bright and funny on the surface but very sad at the core.

i recommend it with no reserves. it´s sense of humour may be thick, but it´s still worth the seeing.

This is the funniest film I have seen in a long time. I actually laughed out loud. The characters are so true to life they make one see how utterly bizarre life is. Particularly the character of Tommy. Anyone who has ever worked in a sales position will find his performance perfectly hilarious. It's probably not a comedy for everyone though. There's a fair amount of raw English slang and one remarkably graphic sex scene that almost seems out of place until you hear Pete's comment in the scene that follows. Overall I recommend this, but by all means expect the unexpected!