Cert 15
85 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language
I am not high brow and, while I enjoy a good giggle, few movies make me laugh out loud.
And, therefore, I did not find Jamie Adams' Black Mountain Poets as 'hilarious' as some have done.
But, I do recognise that it requires real talent to make an engaging movie with just £15,000 and only five days' filming time.
Fortunately, Adams had a high calibre cast at his disposal and they gave a gloss to his quirky improvised comedy.
The plot of Black Mountain Poets does not bear too much scrutiny: two sisters (Alice Lowe and Dolly Wells) are on the run from the police and turn up at a poetry retreat, impersonating a double act whose car they have stolen.
We need to park how they get away without reciting any of the duo's 'well-known' poems over the following few days when no-one suspects they are frauds.
However, this is less important than the self-discovery of the group which exposes a string of petty jealousies as well as kindling friendships and rivalries.
Lowe is the pick of the cast as Lisa, a neurotic narcissist. Her delivery of a Tesco receipt as a poem is one of the sharpest of any dialogue I have seen in recent months,
Meanwhile, Wells and Tom Cullen play two opposites who find a mutual solace in their own insecurities.
Black Mountain Poets' comedy is enhanced by the Welsh countryside which provides its own hurdles for a group who are desperately ill-equipped to handle the outdoors.
I can see why this film has gone down so well in certain circles and I did appreciate its qualities more than Adams's previous film Benny & Jolene.
But it just needed to have a bit more meat on the bones to score more highly with me.
Reasons to watch: off-the wall and well acted
Reasons to avoid: does not have enough meat on its bones
Laughs: a couple of chuckles
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6/10
Star tweet
Jamie Adams Wales' funniest @relis is incredible in @Poets_Movie @chaptertweets @PenarthPavilion and more nationwide today!
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