New British film features several comedy stars and is very multi-cultural comedy…
QUIRKY, funny and really very, very British, āEaten by Lionsā might not be everyoneās cup of chai as a film, but it has a big heart and two winning central performances.
Antonio Aakeel as āOmarā and Jack Carroll as āPeteā as two half-brothers caught on a mission to find the formerās on-screen dad provide the essential plot hook for this movie, which is screening both at the Birmingham and Manchester Indian Film Festival.
It screened last night (June 27) at the Odeon, Leicester Square as part of the parent London Indian Film Festival.
The half-brothersā journey takes them from Bradford to Blackpool and along the way they encounter well-known comedian Johnny Vegas as B&B proprietor āRayā and Asim Choudhry (aka Chabuddy G from āPeople Just Do Nothingā as āIrfanā).
Nitin Ganatra plays Irfanās brother ā āMalikā and Darshan Jariwala (āThe Good Karma Hospitalā) reprises their on-screen father.
Writer and director Jason Wingard penned the script with āCoronation Streetā soap writer David Issac and it was born from a desire to show Britain as it is ā multi-cultural, multi-religious, and ethnically diverse and well, a bit dodgy at the edges…
Ray (Johhny Vegas) and Pete (Jack Carroll)
We jest.
But if, and when, you see the soothsayer scene (on Blackpool pier) and the B&B Ray runs, you will understand.
āEaten by Lionsā started out as a short film, winning Virgin Media shorts prize (Ā£30,000) and was assisted by the British Film Institute after an initial pitch to i-features.
Wingard further explained the background of āEaten by Lionsā to www.asianculturevulture.com yesterday: āYears ago, weād written these taxi driver shorts, and one was white and the other Asian.
āWe had lots of fun with that ā and so it was an extension and you want to represent the people around you and a multi-cultural inner city.ā
Carroll has cerebral palsy and uses a walking frame to get around ā just as he does in the movie. He first shot to prominence in āBritainās Got Talentā a few years back and has been adding acting to his stand-up routine and writing.
āWhen we cast Jack, the issue of disability came up,ā revealed Wingard.
Itās very understated in the film and Carrollās character isnāt defined by it all ā which is great.
Itās Carroll’s first proper feature film role and alongside Aakeel, the two evince a very believable kinship.
Wingard said securing Chaudhry and Vegas was a lot easier than it might appear on paper.
āThere are no airs and graces with comedians, if they like your project and they like you, they will do it.
āWith Asim, we really wanted him to do it. Johnny, Iāve known for years and I just said which part do you want? He said Ray, youāve got it.ā
āEaten by Lionsā is looking for a distributor and it shouldnāt be a massive struggle.
āWe will do a short festival run, and then we want to get it out there to people. Itās selling out wherever it goes, thereās laughter in the room and the reviews are good. Come on guys, letās get in the cinema,ā said Wingard.
Review
COMEDY can be a great vehicle for changing peopleās minds and seeing the world anew or afresh.
Co-writer and director Jason Wingardās āEaten by Lionsā has a certain jaunty charm and the central relationship between two-half brothers is endearing and keeps the film together ā when it might have gone off the rails.
The comedy when it works is excellent, but sometimes it might be trying a little too hard.
It has more of comedy drama feel to it and perhaps Wingard didnāt exploit Johnny Vegas (B&B owner Ray) and fortune-teller (Tom Binns) ā quite enough, though some might think what is in the film is still over-egged, even as it is.
There are some touching scenes and memorably, Natalie Davis as āPerveenā threatens to usurp both Aakeel and Carroll as the mute temptress who takes the rather broody and sensitive Pete on a journey he would rather forget.
It might be overplaying the laughs in places, (Chaudhry is relatively subdued actually) – but you canāt help feel warmed by its heart and its desire to show Britain and the north in all its facets.
ACV rating: *** (out of five)
Antonio Aakeel Live interview on June 27 at Cineworld, Leicester Square (London Indian Film Festival)
Eaten by Lions film – Antonio Aakeel https://t.co/0I61ynmf4m
— asianculturevulture (@asianculturevul) June 27, 2018
Jason Wingard writer/director Eaten by Lions
Darshan Jariwala interview
Pictures from Cineworld Leicester Square screening here
Tickets/info: http://birminghamindianfilmfestival.co.uk/