"It's the dialogue, Stupid."By John DeSando, WCBE's "It's Movie Time," "Cinema Classics," and "On the Marquee"
In the Loop is the brightest political satire in years. A British cabinet minister has let slip a statement seemingly not supporting development of a new war in the mid-East (Iraq). While the Prime Minister's office is upset, the diplomatic pressure is already building in the US for the war.
The humor comes not from the anti-war theme but rather from the foul-mouthed bureaucrats whose epithets and plain old swearing are hilarious and ingenious. A couple of the milder one liner's should give you an idea of the bite in the dialogue:
Malcolm Tucker (Peter Capaldi): You sure you're working as hard as I am, 'cause I'm sweating spinal fluid here!
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Judy (Gina McKee): You know they're all kids in Washington? It's like Bugsy Malone, but with real guns.
Repartee:
Malcolm Tucker General Flintstone... Was it you? Did you leak PWIP-PIP?
Lt. Gen. George Miller (James Gandolfini): No, I didn't leak it. I'm not like some little gay mercenary running around doing other people's dirty work.
Malcolm Tucker: Hey, I'm doing my own dirty work. I'm doing my job.
My favorite line of Malcolm to the bumbling minister, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), who started it all: "'Climbing the mountain of conflict'"? You sounded like a Nazi Julie Andrews!"
Armando Iannucci, sharp from TV's Thick of It, directs the dialogue with machine-gun rapidity, similar to the fast-paced repartee in American screwball comedies. The chief weapon of invective, Malcolm Tucker (Capaldi, in an Oscar-worthy role), the prime minister's press secretary, rips just about everyone around with biting comments about weaknesses and mistakes. Capaldi is so convincing he could be as iconic as Michael Douglas for his role in Wall Street.
Peace-loving General Miller is a tough foil for Malcolm, both of whom square off in verbal jousting unmatched for inventiveness and humor. It's often a combative two-shot as these consummate actors bandy barbs like boxers (see above).
While the outcome of all the shenanigans is well known, it's the dialogue, mostly dry British with some quick comebacks from the US side as well. It's not Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but it approaches Wag the Dog; mostly it's a well-brought up child of Dr. Strangelove.
John DeSando teaches film at Franklin University and co-hosts WCBE 90.5's It's Movie Time, Cinema Classics, and On the Marquee, which can be heard streaming at http://publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/ppr/index.shtml and on demand at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wcbe/arts.artsmain Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.RR.com