Well, I must admit, I didn’t have Kiefer Sutherland and Danny Dyer hitting each other in the balls and having a pep talk about parenting on my Christmas movie bingo card this year, but here we are. Sutherland is the latest big name to take on the Christmas movie, and as one of my all-time favorite cult actors, it’s certainly a pleasing turn. Sutherland stars in Tinsel Town, a British made-for-TV movie that manages to straddle the Atlantic fairly well in terms of its tone, while offering some solid comedy and even some unexpected musical outbursts that take full advantage of the holiday season.

What Is ‘Tinsel Town’ About?

Sutherland plays Brad Mac, an established action movie star with a big, but tired, franchise under his belt. The problem is, after the seventh installment, he has no work lined up, because it turns out he is kind of a dick. His manager (comedian Katherine Ryan) dupes him into one last option she has on her books: theater in England. Brad, thrilled to keep his career going and even expand his repertoire to be taken seriously as an actor, jumps at the chance without getting into the details, sure that he is off to be a West End star. Before he knows it, he’s in a cozy little town in the North of England, where he is billed as the star of the local Christmas panto. The movie suggests that this is a concept rather foreign to Americans, but pantomime is basically a silly, over-the-top theatrical take on a traditional story, complete with parody songs, drag queens, and a tradition of audience participation, most commonly performed over Christmas and New Year. This year’s performance is Cinderella, and Brad is to play Buttons, a concierge of sorts who ends up falling for the princess.

It is perhaps worth pointing out that while panto is a massive landmark of British culture, it isn’t viewed in the most prestigious light. Stunt casting is common, but famous faces turning to panto is typically considered the fall of the mighty, a sad spectacle that indicates they can’t get more illustrious gigs anymore. This dynamic isn’t given too much thought in Tinsel Town; there is a scene in which the pantomime dames taunt Brad over the downfall of his career, and he rightly finds it quite upsetting, but it avoids exploring the perceptions of panto in the world of entertainment. Because it is, ultimately, used as the vehicle of humility that will not only give Brad’s ego a check but also allow him to find a new artistic outlet that he actually enjoys.

‘Tinsel Town’ Has an Endearing Cast With a Self-Deprecating Script

Somewhere in the mix of familiar British faces, including Derek Jacobi, Meera Syal, and the aforementioned Dyer, is Rebel Wilson as Jill, the show’s choreographer. It’s understandable if this prospect makes you bristle a bit, but Wilson keeps her Rebel-isms to a polite minimum. Wilson ends up playing the straight man to the movie’s shenanigans and the ultimate love interest of Brad. They grow to appreciate each other through dance, and it’s actually quite a nice little arrangement, dampened slightly by an overstuffed narrative that keeps diverting to background characters that don’t really warrant much attention. It also doesn’t feel like we’ve been given enough development between Brad and Jill to justify their romantic conclusion.

Tinsel Town has plenty of fun with its willing cast and its context, to the point that it borders on meta. A brilliantly funny opening scene on a film set allows Sutherland to parody his own work as an action star, primarily in the hit TV show 24, and those who remember his little drunken incident with a Christmas tree years ago will get a good laugh out of a particular meltdown at a fête. It’s admirable that in a movie about how a once-hot star is reduced to a panto sidekick,Sutherland is more than happy to poke fun at his own stardom and some of the crazy moments it gifted pop culture. There are a number of little nods like this sprinkled throughout the movie that assure you that those in the cast and crew get it and have no qualms about laughing at their own expense while maintaining a very light and charming tone that never feels mean-spirited.

Sutherland truly is the star here, and he holds the movie in the palm of his hand. Between the self-deprecating humor and the 110% effort he puts into a silly British Christmas movie, he creates a really friendly and inviting vibe that just radiates off the screen. Little tics and physical gestures are telling of how he has put as much consideration into this performance as he would any other, and he even gets the chance to show off his musical prowess. Sutherland has been a musician for years — a string to his bow that perhaps the average viewer is unaware of — and in one particularly delightful scene, he commandeers the stage to give a rousing rendition of a classic holiday hit complete with candy cane and backing dancers. It’s a shame that his voice ends up lost in a sound mix that leaves something to be desired, but the scene is the cherry on top of this endearing seasonal romp, and it’s one I will probably eagerly revisit next year.

Tinsel Town comes to theaters and VOD on November 28.

Here you can find the original article; the photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors; they have been used solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[/nospin]

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