Remember the Barbenheimer craze a couple of years ago? It happened in July 2023, when both Barbie and Oppenheimer were released in cinemas at the same time, and made for a rather unusual double bill. Well, I think I’ve found a new one... Bring Her Back Naked. Might need a rebrand.
Bring Her Back is not for the faint-hearted when it comes to copious amounts of gore, and certainly made me feel better about chipping off a little section of one of my front teeth on holiday when gnawing on an Irn Bru chew bar won from the 2p falls in Redcar! This features a scene involving a kitchen knife and some gnashers that I had to watch through my fingers; in fact, there were several moments like this.
Sally Hawkins has always been brilliant, especially in the awesome Shape of Water, which I recommended to Kirsty in the Kitchen only the other day (beware of one scene involving a cat though, which left her a little traumatised!). You may also know Hawkins from the likes of Paddington and Happy-Go-Lucky. This is absolutely nothing like any of those films.
Hawkins plays a foster mother who is drafted in to care for a brother and sister. She has spent many years as a counsellor, and is already looking after a little boy who appears to not say very much at all. In an early scene, he goes after the household cat in their rather sad looking outdoor swimming pool, but I’m pleased to say the cute moggy manages to escape any harm.
The entire cast here do great work, and this is a taut, tightly wound, deranged performance from Hawkins. A film that doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares, but will stay with you after the credits have rolled. Covering love, grief, obsession and desperation, it’s best seen without any spoilers, so I’ll leave it there, and just urge you to watch it...through your fingers if need be! Perhaps don’t have nachos with tomato salsa as a cinema snack.
The Naked Gun is far, far funnier than the trailer suggested it would be. I haven’t laughed as much at a movie in years. As I write this column, my belly is still hurting from all of the chortling. Liam Neeson throws his deadpan all into playing Frank Drebin Jr, and tips a wink to the late Leslie Nielsen in an early scene (look out for the OJ Simpson gag too). I felt like this really had the heart and soul of the original Naked Gun and Police Squad, with visual gags galore, and surprisingly sizzling chemistry between Nielsen and Pamela Anderson. It’s a rollercoaster ride of fun nostalgia, and this Generation X-er absolutely loved it. I’m planning a second viewing with my dad, as the jokes come so thick and fast, I fear I might have missed quite a few. I’m still laughing at “begging for the brown” (will make sense when you watch it!).
Next week, Smurfs, Weapons and Freakier Friday.
