A Fantastic Fear Of Everything Review
Simon Pegg tried for every now and again to get a decent top billed comedy out to the public to help boost his profile as a leading man. As it stands the few times he has tried this (Like, Run Fat boy Run) he hasn’t always come away with the best results despite his efforts. Pegg is either much more comfortable as the bumbling English he so likes to play (even in Hollywood thrillers like M:I 4) in ensemble movies or as part of a leading duo (Shaun, Fuzz, Paul).
AFFOE does take a step in the right direction by literally having him take up most of the screen time (often in scenes all by himself) and by dropping the bumbling idiot aspect and going for something all together more kooky and weird. This film takes risks with its dialogue and with its style and Pegg plays the part beautifully.
Clearly the director has taken a page out of the likes of Terry Gilliam’s book when it comes to design, lighting and crazy characters – as well as perhaps pages from certain beloved English novelists who like to spin yarns on the obscure.
The trouble with AFFOE is that it just too often isn’t funny. It has atmosphere – but to what purpose? It has strange situations, but again to what purpose. It seems we are lead from one set up to the next. At first it’s Pegg terrorised by his own flat, and then the streets, and then the Laundromat and finally a basement.
The film is never boring, but it rarely invigorates as much as it probably should do. And with the amount of design a craftsmanship that has gone into the look of the film, as well as various animated sequences you’d think you’d walk away with a brisk stride in your step instead of scratching your head wondering what on earth that was all about.
Steven Hurst