Click & Collect

I'm almost certainly biased as I really like Stephen Merchant and his style of comedy, but that aside this is a very enjoyable 'short' film.

It has some excellent lines of comedy and although the story is fairly predictable, it's very much a film about the journey (in this case from Bedford to Carlisle and back) the two main characters bounce of each other well.

Put this short-film on a couple of years ago at Christmas time and didn't expect it to turn out like it did. Now this film is ideal and brilliant to the dry, UK humour lovers like myself. I would put it mostly in comparison to shows like Bad Education by Jack Whitehall, but a one-off short film version. Stephen Merchant I find hilarious, especially with how awkward he is with the neighbour for the majority of the movie. The comedy mainly comes from the loving and caring behaviour of the single-dad neighbour next door, who tries to help in every situation, but mostly without thinking, making for some really funny moments such as the car being stuck in the fjord. Overall, it is a brilliant Christmas comedy, which I have added to the short list of Christmas movies I have to watch each year.

I missed seeing this when it was broadcast over Christmas and only discovered it yesterday on BBC iPlayer. I watched it expecting it to be reasonably amusing 'filler' TV but was happy to find that it was a lot funnier than I had expected. Both of the lead actors are great in it and had me laughing out loud (something I don't usually do to be honest). I was also surprised to find myself tearing up in a couple of places (again I don't usually do that). It was one of the best things I have seen recently and I wouldn't be surprised if Hollywood makes an extended, big budget, noisy, whacky, over the top version of it. It could never have the charm of this original though. I can see myself watching this every Christmas. Kudos to the actors and writers of this little gem. Highly recommended.

This was a truly lovely one off drama, the perfect start to the Christmas period, it was funny, it was moving, so nice to start Christmas off with something funny. It was slow to start, but quickly turned into something really rather excellent. So some of the jokes were a little telegraphed, but who cares, it was lovely, and made me laugh. The music was terrific, and seriously in keeping.

Stephen Merchant and Asim Chaudhry take a bow, you delivered the goods for Christmas. 9/10

As soon as I heard this was in the pipeline a few months ago I started looking forward to Christmas even more! I'm a big fan of People Just Do Nothing and knowing that rising star Asim Chaudhry would be starring in this opposite Stephen Merchant was all I needed to hear. And it did not disappoint! Classic Christmas caper that I will be rewatching tomorrow with the family. The chemistry between both the lead characters is brilliant and with hints of Shaun of the Dead (quick fire edit scenes) and the Tupac Shakur reference it ensured that I stayed enthused throughout. Yes it reminded me of Jingle All The Way but who cares? I was laughing throughout it! For me Chaudhry stole the show as the haplessly cheery neighbour who also had a depth to him that becomes more apparent as the story progresses. Merchant was alright too but he really doesn't have a face for television!