Wilt - Forgotten classic of a film

Okay, so ‘classic’ may be a little overstating ‘Wilt,’ but, whenever British comedy films are mentioned, it never even gets a look in, which I feel is a little unfair.  Yes, there are no real ‘stars’ in the film to broaden its appeal.  Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones may be easily recognisable faces on UK TV, but it’s unlikely anyone will be too familiar with their work overseas.

Perhaps that’s ‘Wilt’s’ major charm – it’s a very British film.  And I don’t mean the weird portrayal of British life that Richard Curtis seems to want to sell the worldwide audiences.  The plot is simple: Jones plays the titular character, Mr Wilt, who, after years of living with his overbearing wife, finds she’s disappeared.  He doesn’t seem that bothered, whereas dopey local detective, played by Mel Smith, feels the need to prove that Wilt is more murderer than he seems.

There may be only a few ‘laugh out loud’ moments in the film, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t smile.  The humour is, largely, subtle and understated, as are the performances.  Perhaps the best way to enjoy the film is to lower your expectations slightly.  Don’t go thinking it’s going to be a massively laugh-a-minute ride.  Its charm is its poignancy and the feeling of overall sadness about a group of people who, by and large, aren’t really happy with their lives, no matter how hard they pretend to be.

If you want something with plenty of poignant, subtle black humour, you may want to give this a try.  I’m guessing it’ll only appeal to us Brits, but I’m hoping it’ll also strike a chord with other nationalities, too.

7/10 if I woke up on Groundhog Day and had to watch this again, I could live with that