Review by Emily Craig (@emillycraig)
Directed by: Louis Leterrier
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane
Let me just say that this is one of the most ridiculously grotesque films I have ever watched, and I have watched many, including the likes of Cannibal Holocaust and The Human Centipede.
Sacha Baron Cohen, the man that brought you Borat and Bruno, now brings you Grimsby, another spy action comedy to add to the recent surge of films, including Spy and Kingsman: The Secret Service. Grimsby is about two brothers who were separated as young children when their parents died; one is Nobby (Sacha Baron Cohen), a working-class benefit claiming hooligan who lives in Grimsby, along with his girlfriend (Rebel Wilson) and his 11 children; the other is Sebastian, an MI6 agent. The two brothers come together when Nobby finds out his brother is going to a high class event as he makes his way down to London, where he essentially ruins Sebastian’s life.
Let me just say that this is one of the most ridiculously grotesque films I have ever watched, and I have watched many, including the likes of Cannibal Holocaust and The Human Centipede. I can’t even discuss my horror at all the inappropriate jokes in this film; don’t get me wrong, I love a controversial film, and one of my favourite genres is torture porn, but this film just doesn’t have any substance for the jokes to stand on.
It starts off fairly stupidly, with Sacha Baron Cohen sticking fireworks up his behind and Rebel Wilson having flatulence, but every scene gets more bizarre than the previous. I’m not one for toilet humour as it is; I much prefer jokes with a bit more wit to them. Some things however, are not to be joked about. There are so many jokes about HIV and AIDS that I was cringing profusely, not to mention Ricky Tomlinson is cast as a registered sex offender. The scene that sent me over the edge hit me hard; who wants to see Mark Strong and Sacha Baron Cohen climb into an elephant’s vagina for cover and then watch another elephant penetrate said elephant, while the two brothers are still in there? Not me and not anyone; of course I laughed but I think it was more shock than anything else.
Without all the gross humour and inappropriate jokes the story is actually pretty average in terms of spy films, there’s explosions, lots of action and bad guys. What I can say about the film is that it had some really good cinematography, especially in Mark Strong’s opening scene; I also liked the Liam Gallagher jokes and a particularly funny phrase about the Fast and Furious franchise. It’s a film that over exaggerates middle-class views on the working-class, but it still ends up being quite offensive and prejudiced towards them in the end. There’s nothing much more to say about Grimsby; I wouldn’t necessarily say don’t go and see it, because it’s definitely not boring, and it will keep you somewhat entertained/grossed out/mortified.