Deep Cover

What's scarier than being summoned up to the stage for a round of improv comedy? Going undercover in a ring of violent drug dealers? Such is the grimly hilarious reality in Deep Cover, an effective new action comedy that Amazon Prime, in all its infinite wisdom, has decided to randomly release with absolutely zero marketing or buildup, despite it having a pretty prolific cast. Three wayward, disparate struggling London actors (Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed & Bryce Dallas Howard) are recruited at their local improv dive by a shady DCI cop (Sean Bean) as part of a specialty undercover branch that uses improv actors to infiltrate illicit smuggling rings and gain intel. When their harebrained tactics literally land them in the trust and innermost ranks of a mid level heroin distributer (Paddy Considine, stealing scenes as usual) they are kind of forced to tough it out on their mission, which has become way more dangerous than ever anticipated. It's a very silly premise, as is any that crops up in a round of improv comedy itself but the film follows through on it admirably, with the lead trio finding ample bursts of comic inspiration, particularly Bloom who fancies himself a tough guy and gradually finds out that being one is kind of really stressful. Considine makes a super memorable character here as the scrappy thug who just wants out of the life, finding all the best bits of ironic humour in his lines. Also great is the ethereal Sonoya Mizuno as his weirdly angelic, trigger-happy lieutenant and the great Ian McShane positively devouring scenery as the head kingpin of the London underworld, his over pronunciation of an obviously intentionally silly Scottish accent a thing of deranged beauty. I'm not sure why they didn't market this at all, like whatsoever, but it's a fun bough time and all the actors are having a blast.

You have to rate a movie for what it is, and for what it is (a silly good fun romp), this was fantastic. Laugh out loud funny at times with ridiculous yet highly likeable characters.

The plot is as over the top as the characters, who are as over the top as everything else here - and I'm all for it. Personal highlights were the high speed bicycle chase, the grenade scene, and "the nose" (when you know, you'll know).

So, where do films like this fit? Think of those movie nights where you wanted to watch something like Rush Hour, or 21 Jump St, and you have just found your next film.

Manage your expectations, then have a great time with this one.

It's best not to think too much about the plot. Don't do that, and you'll find the movie quite fun.

Bryce Howard, Orlando Bloom, and Nick Mohammed make for a believable trio; their chemistry works! Sean Bean, of course, is always a pleasure to see on screen. Paddy Considine and Sonoya Mizuno are also very able in their supporting roles.

The plot serves its main purpose of letting all the above actors play off each other. The dialogues are serviceable; the real gem here are the situations that the trio find themselves in. It's all so predictable, but nonetheless at times amusing.

If there's any major critique, it is that I wish the movie would have taken more chances and try to subvert our expectations - including maybe even for Sean Bean?

First off, I don't normally rate Amazon original films, they're usually toss to be honest, but this is pretty decent actually.

Cast was great, Orlando Bloom was brilliant, although his accent slipped a couple of times, but I suppose that's kind of the character... He's bang at the TRT though isn't he lol, me missus was loving it haha.

Nick Mohammed played his usual character, was great though and always been a fan of Bryce Dallas Howard. Some great cameos from some familiar faces of British telly. Sean Bean in it as well (always brilliant), did his usual thing... Poor fella lol. And I'll watch anything that Paddy Considine is in since '24 hour party people'.

Was pretty funny, very English humour, which is surprising, since I think the writers are American, either way; funny is funny...

Very minor nitpick, some of the slang was off, rat instead of grass etc, but again very minor and most people won't care and non English people won't even notice.

I was going into this happy to turn it off if it wasn't good after 20 minutes, but it kept me hooked and smirking all the way through.

Give it a chance, it's not even an hour 40.

Pretty decent, especially for an Amazon original!

7/10.

A British gangster film coming out with little publicity and going straight to streaming - that's normally a deeply unprepossessing prospect.

But this turns out to be a cracking little film. A daft light-hearted heist movie, 3 likeable leads with real chemistry and an entertaining supporting cast ranging from renowned acting heavyweights to young comedic talent, all doing a fine job.

The plot makes little sense - but who cares, it's just the framework for some silly comedy and the film rushes by with such pace and energy that you never have time to stop and think about how the trio got themselves into such ridiculous situations.

It's not a great film, it's certainly not going to win any critical awards, but it's so much better than most people will expect it to be and succeeds admirably at being good entertainment.