A Kind of Kidnapping is directed by Dan Clark (How Not To Live Your Life) the film showcases an impressive cast of British talent including Patrick Baladi (The Office, Line of Duty), Kelly Wenham (Double Date, Tales from the Lodge), Jack Parry-Jones (The Crown) and Olivia Poulet (The Thick of It).
Synopsis
A KIND OF KIDNAPPING is the story of 30-something couple Maggie and Brian who, both struggling to get by, decide to kidnap London politician, Richard Hardy. Sadly no one wants to pay the ransom but just before they let Hardy go he wonders if he might be able to spin the situation to his advantage if they continue to keep him hostage. Why? Well, he’s never had better PR than this and he believes the sympathy vote will help with his campaign to one day become Prime Minister. What follows is a series of lies, double crossing and even murder, in this taught, darkly comic thriller.
Review
Normally films that involve politician kidnapping also involves gunfights and wall to wall action, A Kind of Kidnapping is far away from that as possible bringing a different kind of twist to the kidnapping genre. A dark comedy that sees a young couple struggling through life waiting for that big chance that will change everything for them and a chance opportunity that lands in their lap could well be the chance they were looking for however it doesn’t quite pan out as they planned. Richard Hardy (Patrick Baladi) is your stereotypical sleazy politician, snaking his way through life looking confidently down on those below him as his makes his ascent to the big job in Number 10 a chance meeting when he flips off a certain waitress that causes her to lose her job is the beginning of a spiral of turmoil for the wannabe PM, or is it? as what seems to be a tragic turn of events could well be just the hottest bit of PR a potential PM could need. This path is definitely not the one that any of these people imagined they’d be on but a chance has arisen that could benefit all parties, but could it all end in disaster?
The on screen chemistry between the hapless couple Maggie (Kelly Wenham) and Brian (Jack Parry Jones) works really well as the couple from different paths of life show the emotional struggles of “just getting by” together. Although this film sounds very serious it really isn’t and the regular comedic injections really do help the film along on it’s different turns and twists. The film is very clever in the way it is directed, Dan Clark does a good job in keeping the viewer guessing, the many different veins of the story take you in different directions only to bring you right back, but although there are different twists the film isn’t confusing it actually flows quite well. The different characters come together well to tell this twisted story, although the lead couple are doing a bad thing you can’t help but fall in love with them and find yourself routing for them, a true underdog story. I do think that Maggie and Brian steal the show as the desperate odd couple Richard Hardy is the perfect pantomime villain that you love to hate.
Verdict
A good all-round film that keeps twisting and turning, darkly funny but with a decent story although the ending was a little strange. Would recommend watching when it lands on the streaming services.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Kind of Kidnapping will be available on digital download release on 24th July.
