In the Loop | Armando Iannucci, 2009
There is, and has always been a distinct difference between British and American humour. Many words may indeed have been spent arguing as to the merits of either breed, but Armando Iannucci’s new film In The Loop proves that we may not even have to choose. An Anglo-American adaption of the popular BBC television series In the Thick of It, In the Loop satirises the political connections between England and America; detailing a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of government officials and underlings in each country as they try to influence a proposed war in the Middle East. The film begins in London as the Secretary of State for International Development Simon Foster (Tom Hollander) states in a radio interview, hilariously and to the delight of his opposition, that the war is in fact “unforeseeable”. Although he is thoroughly berated by his foul-mouthed office enforcer Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi) for such a slip-up, officials in the U.S. quickly jump on Simon and his phrase to promote their push for war. Simon sees this as his chance to shine and, along with his callow new assistant Toby (Chris Addison) jets off to Washington to see what can be done. While Toby proceeds to fall for one of the low-level female aides, Simon is tugged this way and that by various heavyweights in the American office who look to exploit him for their own gain. Soon it becomes apparent that someone in Washington has leaked an important paper on the prospective war – in which the cons far outweigh the pros – and nobody quite knows who did but one thing is sure: that the leak will almost surely result in disastrous implications for one side, and that some poor soul will be made to take the fall for it.
The strongest part of In the Loop is undoubtedly its script: very dense, very spiteful, and very hilarious. It provides the film with the pace and wit that ultimately define it. Scripts are nothing, however, if the lines aren’t realised properly and to the film’s credit most of its huge ensemble cast do a good job not only in the delivery of their lines but also in keeping up with everyone else. Indeed, one of the drawbacks of such a script is that if one chooses to pause, if only for a second, to guffaw at a particularly vindictive one-liner, one might easily miss the equally hilarious reaction and/or rebuttal that succeeds it. As with all fast-paced and quick-witted comedies it’s often difficult to maintain such speed, and In the Loop certainly sags towards the middle as a result. It’s easy to say, considering where the idea came from, that a handful of half-hour television episodes would have suited the material better, but it’s also easy to overlook such a quibble given the refreshing anti-political glamour, anti-West Wing stance that the film takes. It’s also good to see such a film being widely distributed stateside as well as in Britain, and I fully expect for it to become a cult hit both in the U.S. and the U.K. – that’s if it hasn’t achieved such a status already. In the Loop is like a more mature version of Burn After Reading where the expletives are hurled rather than merely uttered – though unlike the latter film it always manages to keep its serious topics in full view, as an offset to the depravity. The film proves that, while British and American humour will always be different, such a difference matters little when embracing the international language of laughs.
Our Rating:
