FILTHY MINDS HAVE A MUDLARK
THE creators of The Inbetweeners continue to suckle on the teat of laddish humour in The Festival – a comedy of awkward sex, recreational drugs and rock’n’roll. Shot on location at last year’s Leeds Festival in Bramham Park, Iain Morris’s sporadically hilarious film trades in humiliation, body piercings and bestiality with one hand down its trousers and a goofy grin on its face. Scriptwriters Keith Akushie and Joe Parham open with a fleeting glimpse of leading man Joe Thomas’s bottom and a splash of bodily fluids to set up a predictable gross-out punchline shot in excruciating slow motion to maximise squeals of derision from the target teenage audience. Subtlety isn’t invited to the party and The Festival would rather go big than go home with its contrived set-pieces including a striptease for a hen party and a medical emergency involving an epi-pen.
Some gags hit their target and Jemaine Clement from Flight Of The Conchords is a deadpan delight as an uncool stepfather with an appreciation for “house music”.
However, once you sluice away the filth, the characters are largely unsympathetic and it’s hard to care when Lady Luck slaps them repeatedly in the face.
Self-obsessed twentysomething Nick Taylor (Thomas), above, goes into emotional meltdown during his university graduation after he is dumped by his girlfriend Caitlin (Hannah Tointon). Lovable best friend Shane (Hammed Animashaun) persuades his heartbroken buddy to accompany him to a music festival where superstar DJ Hammerhead (Noel Fielding) will play a headline set.
Nick is initially reluctant as Caitlin is attending the festival with her well-to-do chums Rex (Hugh Coles), Lucy (Lizzy Connolly) and Gordy (Theo Barklem-Biggs).
Nick packs his wellington boots, a tent and some underwear for three days of music, merriment and alcoholic excess.
En route, the friends encounter festival guru Amy (Claudia O’Doherty) and clash with backstage manager Pirate (Kurt Yaeger), gatekeeper of the VIP wristbands.
Thomas flings himself with gusto into the role, including a sprint around the festival site in his briefs.