Beginners Luck

A bunch of no-hopers try to stage Shakespeare's "Tempest" under a useless director in "Beginner's Luck," an equally inept production which aims to wring comic mileage out of never-say-die amateurism. First feature of writing-directing team Nick Cohen and James Callis is a 90-minute train wreck in slow motion, with zero commercial potential.

A bunch of no-hopers try to stage Shakespeare's "Tempest" under a useless director in "Beginner's Luck," an equally inept production which aims to wring comic mileage out of never-say-die amateurism. First feature of writing-directing team Nick Cohen and James Callis is a 90-minute train wreck in slow motion, with zero commercial potential.

A bunch of no-hopers try to stage Shakespeare’s “Tempest” under a useless director in “Beginner’s Luck,” an equally inept production which aims to wring comic mileage out of never-say-die amateurism. First feature of writing-directing team Nick Cohen and James Callis is a 90-minute train wreck in slow motion, with zero commercial potential.

Wannabe director Mark (Callis) has a vision of the Bard’s play and recruits friends and other wackos to fund and act in it. Troupe includes Mark’s pal, Jason (Tom Redhill), his colleague in a fish ‘n’ chip shop, Sophie (Amelia Lowdell), over-tense barmaid Alex (Sarah Belcher), unknowing lesbian Hettie (Rosanna Lowe) and mysterious Frenchwoman Anya (Julie Delpy). Amid non-stop chaos and impecuniousness, the group journeys from London to Edinburgh to Paris, garnering zero auds en route. Callis is OK as the fast-talking Mark but the rest of the cast, including the ethereal Delpy, are chained by the exceedingly unfunny script and ragged direction. Names like Christopher Cazenove (as a posturing actor), Steven Berkoff (strip-club owner) and Fenella Fielding (Mark’s mum, in for one scene) pop up in bit parts. Editing is often inventive; transfer from DV is pallid.

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Beginner’s Luck

U.K.

  • Production: A Guerilla Films release of a Late Night Pictures production, in association with Angel Eye Films. Produced by Harriet Evans-Lombe. Co-producers, James Harding, Richard Osbourne. Directed, written by James Callis, Nick Cohen.
  • Crew: Camera (Fujicolor, DV-to-35mm), Chris Preston; editor, Alistair Waterson; music, Shriek Music; production designer, Tracy Ann Baines. Reviewed at Odeon Panton Street 1, London, June 24, 2002. Running time: 89 MIN.
  • With: With: Julie Delpy, Steven Berkoff, Christopher Cazenove, Fenella Fielding, Jean-Yves Berteloot, James Callis, Tom Redhill, Amelia Lowdell, Sara Belcher, Debbie Chazen, Rosanna Lowe, Daniel Hart.

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