Frost Film Review: Cemetery Junction

Frost Rating ****

A group of 20 something’s living in the early 70’s in the isolated Cemetary Junction, a sleepy suburb near Reading. Their days consist of mundane jobs, chasing girls, drinking and drawing bits and bobs on billboards.

So far it doesn’t sound like a premise for a hilarious Gervais-Merchant film but underneath the gushy-feel-good-coming-of-age premise is an observant and clever comedy.

I don’t want to give too much away but the story follows three friends living in sleepy Cemetary Junction; Freddie (Christian Cooke), Bruce (Tom Hughes), and Snork (Jack Doolan); who’s lives are transformed by the reappearance of Freddie’s childhood sweetheart Julie (Felicity Jones).
Gervais and Merchant manage to get away with some incredibly politically incorect jokes but it’s set in the 70’s so the audience forgives them. What really makes this film keep you laughing is the brilliant script.

So my advice, if you want to be entertained by a warm, funny, easy on the brain-film…definately go watch it!!!
15 cert (94 mins)

Cemetery Junction Official Site – Sony Pictures

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYDeHIszUqA

Telly Predictions: Happy Finish

The unique televisual experiment that is Comedy Lab returns this week to unearth more comedy stars of tomorrow and there’s a buzz about one of the pilots in particular.

Happy Finish is a bold, funny and visually striking gang sketch show showcasing some of Channel 4’s next generation of character comedians and sketch writers, as well as two of the country’s most promising up and coming comedy producers and directors.

Comedy Lab; the platform that has helped launched the careers of top performers such as Ricky Gervais, Dom Joly, Mitchell & Webb, Peter Kay and Jimmy Carr, as well as uncovering such gems as Modern Toss and Hat Trick’s Fonejacker.

Staring NADIA KAMIL (28 Acts in 28 Minutes, Newsjack); DANIEL KALUUYA (Skins, Psychoville, Dr Who)’; NICO TATAROWICZ (Krod Mandoon, Shooting Stars); SARA PASCOE (Free Agents, The Thick Of It, Being Human) and MIKE WOZNIAK, voted Time Out New Act Of The Year and if.comedy Best Newcomer. The sketches are written by THE DAWSON BROTHERS (That Mitchell & Webb Look, The Peter Serafinowicz Show, The Kevin Bishop Show).  They have also notched up nearly a million hits for their homemade youtube and funnyordie.co.uk sketches.

The show is directed by AL CAMPBELL (Screenwipe, Trigger Happy TV) and produced by MARK TALBOT, creator of cult comedy night Sabotage where this cast all performed before being picked for the show.

Mark Talbot has this to say “Happy Finish is beautifully filmic with sketches that include an illegal downloading that goes horribly wrong, a boyfriend returning from the dead, the archaeologists who discover one of Jesus’ practical jokes and a glimpse into the perils of homemade time travel.  The show will also have an online presence with exclusive clips being featured on the comedy website www.funnyordie.co.uk.  Comedy Lab has unearthed many of the comedy stars of tomorrow – and our show gives some really talented comedians a chance to show what they can do.”


Happy Finish isn’t the first sketch show in the world to be associated with the funnyordie name but this looks set to be a world away from the American sketch show from the US site. Check out the trailer and some exclusive clips at funnyordie.co.uk/happyfinish
If it doesn’t get picked for a full series I’m sure a lot of people will be sorely dissapointed.

Happy Finish is coming to your TV screens on 19th April 2010 at 11.35pm Channel 4. No doubt it will also be on 4OD forever more.