‘From puerile opening narration to final headbutt, Marching Powder is pretty awful’

Film review: Marching Powder (18) - viewed at The Light Cinema, Wisbech

Starring: Danny Dyer, Stephanie Leonidas and Calum MacNab

Director: Nick Love Run time: One hour, 36 minutes

My son wanted to watch Mickey 17, by Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho. But I own the Light pass and tried (and failed) to convince him that 96 minutes of crass humour with the legendary Danny Dyer would cheer up anyone's Saturday afternoon. How wrong I was.

From the puerile opening narration right to the final headbutt, this story of 40-something, cocaine-taking, unemployed lower-league football hooligan Jack is pretty awful.

The two trailers which drew me in and involve the charismatic Dyer talking directly to the camera aren't of course in the movie and are more entertaining than anything in it.

I wasn’t offended at the colourful language or the subject matter. It's just this didn't shock and was rarely funny. The story was of a waster who tried to turn his life and marriage around... and failed. So what exactly was the point of it?

I always find Dyer himself extremely watchable, he has bucketloads of charisma and did his best with a lightweight script. His regular asides to the camera could have been great if better written.

Stephanie Leonidas also gives her best as long-suffering wife Dani and the best scenes are between the two... mostly in the last 15 minutes though.

During a restaurant date to try to save their marriage, Jack says he's been soul searching and sums up his flaws and faults in just three words (including his favourite, starting with C), without any elaboration. This is genuinely funny and hits the note the whole film is meant to.

During the same date he admits he's no 'Albert Epstein' and is corrected by Dani saying, "No you're not. He's a paedo." Again shocking and funny... but unfortunately a rare comedy interlude.

Too often humour is attempted by referencing the mentally ill or society's subcultures and it's just boring.

Both these fine actors will shine again but director Nick Love might want to go home and do some self-reflection of his own.

By Jeremy Ransome

Rating: 4/10