Swinging with the Finkels
| Swinging with the Finkels | |
|---|---|
 U.K. Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jonathan Newman |
| Produced by |
Thomas Augsberger David Mutch Deepak Nayar Philip von Alvensleben |
| Screenplay by | Jonathan Newman |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Mark Thomas |
| Cinematography | Dirk Nel |
| Edited by | Eddie Hamilton |
Production company |
|
| Distributed by |
Moving Pictures Film and Television (United States) Freestyle Releasing (U.S.) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 85 minutes[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Swinging with the Finkels is a 2011 British comedy film directed by Jonathan Newman and starring Mandy Moore, Martin Freeman and Melissa George. The screenplay concerns a wealthy London couple who decide to take up "swinging" (as in "partner swapping") in an attempt to save their struggling marriage.[2][3] The film was picked up by Freestyle Releasing and had a limited release date in the United States on 26 August 2011.[4]
Cast
- Martin Freeman as Alvin Finkel
- Mandy Moore as Ellie Finkel
- Melissa George as Janet
- Jonathan Silverman as Peter
- Richard Shelton as Trevor (original)
- Jerry Stiller as Mr. Winters
- Angus Deayton as Richard
- Edward Akrout as Andrew
- John Barrard as Old Man
Production notes
The 2011 film was based on Sex with the Finkels (2008), an original short film also from director Jonathan Newman.[5]
The film reportedly served as a vehicle for co-star Mandy Moore to extend her acting range beyond "good girl" roles.[6]
Reception
Critics mostly focused on the film's crude, stale humour, one-dimensional characters, and less-than-inspiring portrayal of marriage. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 0% score based on 19 reviews.[7]
It has been described as 'a contempo contribution to the august British tradition of lame, unfunny sex comedies' by Leslie Felperin of Variety, 'occasionally loathsome' by Brian Orndorf of BrianOrndorf.com, 'excruciatingly wrongheaded and outdated' by Mary Ann Johanson of Flick Filosopher, and 'a bit crude for its own good' by Blake French of Filmcritic.com.
Xan Brooks of The Guardian wrote 'short of having a urethral swab or inserting a cucumber up yourself, it's hard to imagine a more queasy form of torture than this dismal British sex comedy - about a man who has a urethral swab and a woman who inserts a cucumber up herself'.
Peter Sobczynski of eFilmCritic.com wrote: 'Imagine the world's longest, lamest and smuttiest episode of the redoubtable TV classic "Love, American Style" and you have only begun to conceptualize the mind and genital-numbing horror that is Swinging with the Finkels'.
In a more positive vein, Mike McGranaghan of Aisle Seat wrote: 'I'm right down the middle on this one. It's not great, but it's not terrible either'.
References
- ↑ http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/swinging-finkels-2010
- ↑ "Swinging With The Finkels is a mediocre screenplay". ThisIsLondon.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
- ↑ "Swinging with the Finkels". IrishTimes.com. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
- ↑ http://www.dvdtown.com/news/swinging-with-the-finkels-opens-friday-in-florida-and-california/9034
- ↑ De Semlyen, Phil (2011-04-21). New Swinging With The Finkels Poster - Exclusive: Extreme wife swap. Empire Online, 21 April 2011. Retrieved on 2018-06-26 from https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/new-swinging-finkels-poster/.
- ↑ Malkin, Marc; Malec, Brett (2010-10-22). Is Mandy Moore a "Raunchy" Swinger? E! Online, 22 October 2010. Retrieved on 2018-06-26 from https://www.eonline.com/news/206860/is-mandy-moore-a-raunchy-swinger.
- ↑ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/swinging_with_the_finkels/
External links