Backbencher

Writer/director Daniel Irlan’s ridiculously funny (heavy emphasis on ridiculous) mockumentary-style political comedy Backbencher follows the campaign trail of hapless MP John (Wells) in his attempts to move from government backbencher to a more significant role within the cabinet.

Here, having commissioned a documentary crew to follow him around day and night, we get to follow John throughout his current campaign towards a hopeful constituency re-election, including meet-and-greets with the public, catchy slogans, important policies (if he can actually think of one), and everything in between. However, John’s ambition is consistently hampered at every turn by political rivals, scheming journalists, and most of all, himself.

Because there is no getting around the almost immediately established realisation, John is a truly awful human being. Unreservedly sleazy, incredibly quick to anger, estranged from his wife but never his mistresses, full of one-liner politician cliches and offensive soundbites, only ever concerned for himself and taking everything out on the people around him, most of all his poor, unfortunate and long suffering campaign manager/assistant that he only ever refers to as Oi! (Sujanani).

All of this sets up the idea that John could be one of the most aggravating, despicable and detestable characters imaginable, and really, he is. There are moments where the film's ridiculousness needed to be reined in but weirdly, it’s all such a clever skewing of modern-day politics, where politicians seem to be able to get away with pretty much anything they say or do, that it all just simply works. It’s The Thick of It inspired script and dialogue, whether in the moments sharply written or perhaps improvised, allow each line out of John’s mouth to become an instant quote, perhaps not ones to repeat out loud oneself and quite often drawing a grimace, but thankfully more often, a genuine laugh. It’s such a fun ride that even when it does go off the rails now and again, you just want to stay on.

And, as with any good mockumentary, the life and death of it all hinges on its characters, and Backbencher has some real characters. More peripheral players such as John’s enabling and messy mistress Black Cherry (Longden) and his local constituents are great for padding out this deep world, but it’s his inner circle; his beleaguered camera crew he treats with nothing but contempt (especially the brilliant Emma Beth Jones’s boom operator), his equally ridiculous political rival Monty Phabreese (Whatley) and dogged internet journalist Zesty Lemon (Guyler, armed with a full arsenal of citrus based puns) who keep you invested.

However, the biggest plaudits undoubtedly need to go to both Sujanani, the constantly put upon aide who gets sucked into all of John’s nonsense before finally snapping, and Wells, whose ability to demand full attention in every scene makes watching such a truly foul person so enthralling to watch.

Judging by the post-credits scenes, you very much get the sense that the whole cast and crew had a real ball making this film, and ultimately Backbencher, even though it does occasionally descend into pure farce, is an undeniably fun time.