Happy, Happy (15)
HHH
Dir: Anne Sewitsky
With: Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen
Runtime: 85 minutes
AFTER the recent bloody wave of Scandi-noir in television and literature comes something a little lighter from our friends in the north. A prize-winner at the Sundance Film Festival, Happy, Happy is a Scandi comedy of sexual manners, no less. Sunny Kaja is married to dour Eirik, and their marriage is in the deep freeze even before the perfect couple, Sigve and Elisabeth, move in next door with their adorable son. But is there such a thing as perfect marriage and happy ever after? As Christmas approaches, they are all about to find out. Agnes Kittelsen is a delight as the fragile, nervy Kaja, always trying her best to make everyone happy while nursing her own sadnesses. A fun and frothy concoction, but Anne Sewitsky's film has its deep and telling moments too.
Glasgow Film Theatre, November 27-29
Gambit (12A)
HH
Dir: Michael Hoffman
With: Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman
Runtime: 89 minutes
COLIN Firth simpers valiantly for Britain in this dud art-con caper. In what is a very loose remake of the 1966 film that starred Michael Caine, The King's Speech star dons trendy specs to play Harry Deane, browbeaten art expert to Alan Rickman's media mogul. Deane wants to teach the boss a lesson and get rich trying, and to that end enlists the help of a Texan chicken plucker played by Cameron Diaz, pictured above with Firth. The script is by the Coen brothers but if you are looking for another Fargo, or even a Burn After Reading, hurry on to the gallery next door please. This is one screenplay that floats like a brick and stings like a marshmallow. While Firth does his best to play things as low-key as possible, Rickman and Diaz chew every piece of furniture they can get their hands on. Overplayed, overindulgent and over here.
Nativity 2: Danger In The Manger! (U)
HHH
Dir: Debbie Isitt
With: David Tennant, Joanna Page
Runtime: 105 minutes
DEBBIE Isitt returns with another helping of utterly British, likeably daft Christmas family fun. Taking over from Martin Freeman as the primary school teacher reluctantly leading his pupils in a choir competition is our own David Tennant. Faced with the incredibly irritating classroom assistant Mr Poppy (Marc Wooton), poor old Dave looks as though he would rather still be doing battle with the Daleks. But keep the faith – through sheer force of barminess, both Mr Poppy and Nativity 2 might just grow on you. A bit like Christmas: go with the flow of insanity and you'll survive. The X Factor-style audition sequence for the kids offers more genuine laughs than the real programme has in years.
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