Of the week
The Bionic Man meets Bergerac in this telly detective spoof which is well suited to the small screen where the deliberately cheap design more accurately apes the TV shows it’s lampooning. Julian Barratt is a paragon of deluded middle age as Richard Thorncroft, pictured, the star of the 1980s TV crime series Mindhorn. He sees an opportunity to reignite his stalled career when the real police need help to solve a murder. Look out for impressive cameos from Kenneth Branagh and Simon Callow. Bergerac was never this funny or as well-acted.
Effectively a feature-length episode of BBC2’S The Thick of It, with Peter Capaldi’s pottymouthed spin doctor heading to Washington to smooth over political dissent between the British and American governments. Peter Capaldi is reliably brilliant as Malcolm Tucker, left, and James Gandolfini is among the US contingent.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: THE MOVIE
A suitably daft but funny big screen outing sees PR doyenne Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) and best friend Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley, both left) go on the run after apparently killing Kate Moss accidently at a party. The film trades heavily on nostalgia for the TV series but there are some well-placed pokes in the ribs for current fads.
ALAN PARTRIDGE: ALPHA PAPA
Steve Coogan returns as the hapless Norwichbased DJ (left). When the new owners of his radio station sack Alan’s fellow DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney), Pat responds by taking hostages at gunpoint. The police enlist Alan as a negotiator, who soon sees a chance to turn the situation to his advantage.
DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD
A feature film debut for Ricky Gervais’ iconic character. David Brent (Gervais, centre, left) now fancies himself as a rock star, so embarks on a cringe-inducing tour with his band Foregone Conclusion. This faux documentary is peppered with one-liners and comic brilliance that confirm Gervais as a master of unflattering observation.
The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-joy plays one of three students kidnapped by misfit Kevin Crumb (James Mcavoy, left) who spirits them away to a bunker. The hostages discover that Kevin exhibits 23 distinct personalities. Split is a tantalising thriller, which marks a return to form for writer-director M. Night Shyamalan.
Nicolas Cage, left, is a hoot as Hi Mcdunnough, the repeat offender who falls for cop Ed (Holly Hunter). She is desperate to have a baby and when she can’t conceive, they decide to steal one. They feel that the local tycoon whose wife just gave birth to sextuplets has more than enough children. An early treat from the Coen Brothers.