A SPIN-OFF from Iannucci’s political television series, The Thick of It, In the Loop contemplates the behind-the-scenes machinations in Whitehall and Washington during the run-up to an unspecified Middle Eastern war.
An inexperienced, low-level minister, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander, toe-curlingly excellent), is asked an unexpected question during a radio interview. The results are catastrophic. His off the cuff response about ‘…climbing the mountain of conflict…’ makes him a target for the Washington apparatchiks currently visiting London in search of support for military intervention. Shipped over to Washington for covert negotiations, Foster finds himself a whipping boy for the attack-dog spin doctors of government and a pawn in the war game between the hawks and the doves.
The principal spin maestro is Peter Capaldi’s awesome Malcolm Tucker, a volcanic, bilious, cyclone of a man, the government Director of Communications charged with the task of keeping the team on-message. Tucker takes threats, insults and character assassinations to unforeseen levels of quite magisterial profanity.
As Malcolm desperately firefights the torrent of gaffes and leaks and faux pas, we follow the Brits into the corridors of real power as the wheels grind toward the inevitable outcome, greased by words taken out of context, and egos engaged in Machiavellian power play. The satire steams and fizzes like concentrated sulphuric acid. Very, very funny. But, be warned – this film contains language that some viewers may find offensive.
This Saturday, November 14, 2009 – Doors open 7.30pm Film 8pm. Admission