This review was made possible by Popped receiving an advanced screener of Tinsel Town from Sky.
Tinsel Town centres on Bradley Mack (Kiefer Sutherland), a washed-up Hollywood action star who heads to a small English village to play a small role in the idiosyncratic Christmas pageant. As he prepares for the show, he bonds with its straight-talking choreographer (Rebel Wilson) while taking the opportunity to reconnect with his estranged daughter.
A Sweet But Uneven Festive Fiasco
Just like any festive film, this plot feels very basic, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing here. With his career in jeopardy and the studio no longer committed to producing more Killing Time films, a clear in-universe theatrical parody of the 24 series, Mac is tasked with heading to England for a new role, switching explosions on an action set for a theatre production, something he has never done in his life. At first, thanks to some hectic ongoings, mishaps and slip-ups along the way, Mac thinks it is a hidden camera prank when he arrives at “The Savoy” and he discovers he has signed up to star in a pantomime production of Cinderella at Stoneford Theatre Royal, in a small village in southern England, and not a huge profile project which could restart his career.
Sutherland does his best to embrace the role during the film, one moment where he takes to the stage to belt out The Most Wonderful Time of the Year is easily a standout, with his singing being impressive too. His action-star legacy is used mostly as a quick gimmick, but as someone who grew up with 24, I enjoyed the playful pastiche.
On the other side of acting duties is Rebel Wilson, who tries her best to give her own interpretation of the Yorkshire accent (poorly), though the character she is given is very much the standard single-woman-at-Christmas role and the chemistry between her and Sutherland never quite clicks. Mawaan Rizwan, however, is wonderful as the comic relief Nigel. From volcanic water mishaps to his collection of homemade car comforts, he brings a much-needed spark every time he appears.
Director Chris Foggin previously delivered another Sky festive flick I enjoyed, This is Christmas, as well as Netflix’s Bank of Dave, and his affection for this season comes through again here. However, it’s hard to avoid the fact that the script is where Tinsel Town stumbles. It is lighter than it needs to be, and while nothing ruins the experience outright, it keeps the film firmly in the cosy Hallmark lane rather than pushing it higher.
Panto Film? Oh, Yes It Is!
As an avid fan of panto, I have always wondered why there have not been more attempts to bring the tradition to the big screen, especially given how much it anchors what we think of as a British Christmas. This is one of the areas where Tinsel Town shines brightest. With Adam Brown’s real-world panto experience behind the script, the film captures the magic and “feel” of panto remarkably well. From the knowingly dreadful pop covers, including a well-used Padam Padam, to the barrage of “He’s behind you!” and “Oh yes he is”, it ticks all the boxes. We’re even treated to a rendition of Katy Perry’s Roar, because of course we do.
If there is one thing that Tinsel Town proves, it is that the world is more than ready for a brand new series of 24, with Kiefer Sutherland returning to star as Jack Bauer. His portrayal of Brad Mac, along with his larger-than-life presence in the fictional film “It’s A Killing Time VIII”, offers flashes of the intensity that defined his years on the FOX thriller. It arrives at the perfect moment, too, since Sutherland has recently teased that Howard Gordon has put forward a new idea for the franchise, confirming in an interview that “something has been written” and that he thinks it is “really strong”.
‘Tinsel Town’ – Final Thoughts
Tinsel Town isn’t trying to be the next Oppenheimer or The Brutalist. It is a cheesy Christmas film, and viewed on those terms, it mostly succeeds. It captures the warmth of a British panto, embraces the silliness of its setup and offers an endearing turn from Sutherland that carries it whenever the script wobbles. It is far from perfect, and the writing holds it back from climbing any higher, but I still had a good time. It is the sort of film you put on with a hot chocolate when you want something charming, predictable, and a little bit magical.
Tinsel Town releases on Sky Cinema on December 5. Check out the trailer below:
The Review
Tinsel Town
Tinsel Town isn't trying to be the next Oppenheimer or The Brutalist. It is a cheesy Christmas film, and viewed on those terms, it mostly succeeds. It captures the warmth of a British panto, embraces the silliness of its setup and offers an endearing turn from Sutherland that carries it whenever the script wobbles. It is far from perfect, and the writing holds it back from climbing any higher, but I still had a good time. It is the sort of film you put on with a hot chocolate when you want something charming, predictable, and a little bit magical.
