email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

SXSW 2021

Review: Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break

by 

- Nick Gillespie’s cringeworthy tale of a wannabe talent show contestant-turned-angel of vengeance wobbles between sweetness and gore, and then just gives the hell up

Review: Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break
Tom Meeten in Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break

There aren't many laugh-out-loud moments in Nick Gillespie's underwhelming and frankly rather irritating Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break, world-premiering in SXSW's Narrative Spotlight, but it would be hard not to warm to the main concept: the titular Paul Dood goes on a killing spree, yet all he can devote to the elaborate plan is one lunch break. If such a sensible approach doesn't immediately scream, “British movie!”, nothing else ever will, full stop.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

He has his reasons, obviously, although saying that he has had a “really bad day” would now summon unfortunate memories of a certain press conference in Georgia, USA, from barely a day ago. It's bad timing, but the film is already cringeworthy enough on its own: a combo of a – supposedly – heart-warming story of yet another man whose dreams have been passing him by and gore-filled episodes including a priest and a steamroller, among other things. Fun.

Paul (Tom Meeten) is a charity-shop worker with his sights set on fame, although the only person who has ever really believed in him is his ailing mum. On his way to the audition for one of those national talent shows, pretty much everything goes wrong – mostly because of five obnoxious strangers he meets along the way. So used to bullying that he barely notices, stuck in the role of a kind pushover, Paul would normally just get on with it. Then, tragedy strikes, and he has nothing to lose any more. So he puts on a sparkly outfit, scares a pair of elderly ladies in the park and announces that, on this lunch break, he is going to finally right all the wrongs.

Of course, it's nice seeing people getting punished simply for being jerks sometimes, if not quite to such a gruesome degree, but there is another element to the already very crowded story: social media. Used to sharing pretty much everything and then some, Paul quickly gains even more recognition for his new actions, live-streamed to the delight and confusion of many. He is getting likes and a following, and it would be hard to say exactly what comes out of it, just like with most things in the film – they are introduced and then dropped, mirroring the sad, sad destiny of those old toys and fishing manuals scattered all over the charity shop. There is an echo of that famous “kindness of strangers” line, though this time coming from thousands cheering on the hero they don't even know, but it would be tricky to say if such a community gives him strength or leads him further astray. Not that it matters that much, as despite introducing Margaret Atwood quotes at the beginning (because why not?), Gillespie seems more interested in Paul's Ziggy Stardust-y outfit and triumphant dance moves than an analysis of, well, anything, creating a crowd-pleaser that will be pleasing only to some. Then again, that Paul Dood bloke always was a bit of an acquired taste.

Paul Dood's Deadly Lunch Break was produced by the UK’s Belstone Pictures. Its world sales are handled by Concourse Media.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy