Comedy Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Comedy

Two women, one in a military-style cap and coat and the other in a casual top, standing on a street and engaging in conversation.
Review

Wicked Little Letters review – a flimsy comic farce

by David Jenkins

Olivia Colman is hampered by thin material in this overly-quaint parochial Britcom which contains a fair bit of swearing.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Three adults conversing at a table in a restaurant, with drinks and a lamp visible.
Review

American Fiction review – wry literary satire is a mixed bag

by David Jenkins

Jeffrey Wright shines in a bold contemporary arts satire that doesn’t quite manage to hit all of its targets.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
A man with curly hair and a beard, wearing a light-coloured robe, sitting in a relaxed pose with his arms crossed.
Review

The Book of Clarence review – hilarious highs, jumbled lows

by Cheyenne Bart-Stewart

Jeymes Samuel’s second feature follows the misadventures of one of the thieves who ended up on the cross next to Jesus Christ himself.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two people standing in a snowy outdoor setting, one wearing a brown coat and the other wearing a blue and black coat.
Review

The Holdovers review – the most scintillating festive movie in years

by Lillian Crawford

A curmudgeonly teacher, a grieving cook and a petulant young student find themselves thrown together for the holidays in Alexander Payne’s excellent Christmassy dramedy.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Four young women sitting on a bed, reading a book together. Diverse group, wearing bright pink and red clothing. Colourful artwork on the wall behind them.
Review

Mean Girls review – defanged take on a teen classic

by Hannah Strong

This movie based on a musical based on a movie based on a book retains none of the biting wit that charmed audiences in its original iteration.

2
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A person with long dark hair wearing a yellow shawl, facing a person wearing a brown jacket in a wooded area.
Review

Poor Things review – Lanthimos at his most playful and comedic

by Savina Petkova

Emma Stone gives a career-defining performance in Yorgos Lanthimos’ opulent provocation about the human body as a nexus for pleasure and pain.

5
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
Three middle-aged women in somber attire, likely at a funeral. One woman wears a black hat, another a long dark coat, and the third a long black coat. They appear somber and reflective, walking together.
Review

Sweet Sue review – a strange, disjointed film

by David Jenkins

Leo Leigh’s likeable but wonky feature debut offers a meandering trawl through the doomed love life of a mature party shop owner.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Colourful characters in red coats and hats, umbrella signs, theatrical set
Review

Wonka review – Timothée Chalamet is simply sensational

by Adam Woodward

Gather round and listen close… Paul King’s dazzling prequel to Roald Dahl’s beloved story is a joyous expression of pure imagination.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two men sitting at a bar, one wearing a green jacket and the other a red jacket, while a band plays on stage behind them.
Review

Fallen Leaves review – the Finnish legend returns

by David Jenkins

Another gorgeous tragicomic farce from Finnish maestro Aki Kaurismäki, a heartfelt cinephile ode to the possibility of love among the working classes.

4
Anticipation
5
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A man relaxing in a wicker chair on a balcony, reading a book. The scene features stone walls and a rural landscape in the background.
Review

Saltburn review – gorgeous, lurid, shallow and frustrating

by Hannah Strong

A working-class student finds himself thrust into a new world in Emerald Fennell’s stylish but underwhelming second feature.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect