Caught in the Act

This is a rather old fashioned comedy film redolent of those that have been made here in times past, but those the film industry seemed to have forgotten how to make.

One of my favourite British comedy actors Leslie Philips is Sydney Fisher, his appearance was personally far too brief but nonetheless very funny.

The movies three heroines Lucinda, Katherine and Amanda, are perfectly cast by the actresses Sara Crowe, Annette Badland and Nadia Sawalha. They form an ideal trio of ideal friends chatting and invariably bickering with each other, but not really falling out with each other permanently.

The films miscellaneous characters that flit in and out of each subsequent scene are in the main, those that I thought may make other than merely cameo appearances.

But they nonetheless provide the heroines with their storyline, and haphazard journey through the bye ways of rural Norfolk.

Wouldn't suit all tastes, but if you like it you'll love it. A very gentle, very English humour with many wonderful throwaway lines. Strongly recommend. Sara Crowe is outstanding in the part of a girl totally hung-up on a theatrical agent, and Annette Badland and Nadia Sawalha are equally good supporting her as the long-suffering friends. Leslie Phillips plays an excellent music teacher/musician and there are some excellent scenes where he is trying to help the girls write their song. However, the piece de resistance for me was the song at the end - the acting, as well as the song, together with the reactions of the audience, make excellent viewing.

First of all the female co-host is hard to look at. It is hard to watch there is no charisma. And honestly who wants to have a big bald man tell you how you feel. If the contestant does not want to do something they should not force them. And what kind of expert are either one of these people. And the host let the contestant go catch his boyfriend Is in the act all by himself seriously. And when the host comes in while the 2 guys are Arguing That Tami Is not an expert is not personable and just seriously hard to watch. So in retrospect you guys should hire different people to put the show on and find some Better stories. The way they set the show up they set it up so there was definitely a confrontation where it looked like they hoped it would cause a fight.

This is a gentle, 'feel good' comedy about three friends who decide to take a holiday together in Norfolk, and end up appearing in a local talent contest because one of them has a long-standing crush on the organizer.

Its reminiscent of both 'The Darling Buds of May' and 'Four Weddings and a funeral', although played more for laughs and there is negligible swearing involved.

The three women (Sara Crowe, Annette Badland and Nadia Sawalha) are good in their roles, and believable as friends. The bickering between them is especially convincing, particularly as obstacles to their goal present themselves.

In supporting roles, the ever reliable Leslie Phillips does an excellent job as a piano teacher over fond of his sherry, and Tim McMullen and Guy Henry add a delightfully light touch as the two handsome and eccentric brothers with hearts of gold

Overall, this is an enjoyable comedy which deserved better reviews (and a wider audience) than it received at the time of release. If the outcome is predictable, its none the worse for it and you reach the end of the film with the feeling that you have spent an enchanting and happy 90 minutes in the company of some good friends.

"A sunny, feel-good, female buddy movie" was how Allan Hunter of Screen International described this film. And it is just that. Delightful, easy and charming. The climactic sequence in a village hall in Norfolk wherein the heroine triumvirate take part in a talent contest contains some memorable comedic moments in the best traditions of the Boulting Brothers. Gentle comedy moves effortlessly into broad comedy and thence into farce. The cast is full of familiar faces from British film and TV - most notably Sara Crowe, Nadia Sawalha, Leslie Phillips, Paul Shelley and Nickolas Grace. All are terrific.