Tommy Cooper: Not Like That, Like This (2014)

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

There have been a raft of biopics of bygone British comedians over the last ten years, some excellent. Many forget to, or fail to, impart the humour and joy that the subjects brought in the first place. Sometimes there seems to a keenness to deliver the 'dark side' of the jester too bluntly.'Not Like That, Like This' tells a strong story that isn't at all diluted by the prominence of the daft and delightful comedy of the man in the centre of it, Tommy Cooper. It's clear all the way along why audiences loved the man who could come on, say nothing and have them collapsing with laughter. He had a complicated life and it's well told through a brilliant performance by David Threlfall, who grasps the physicality of the six-foot-four comic as well as his mannerisms and captivating delivery. The rest of the cast, fronted by Amanda Redman as his strong-headed and driven wife Dove and Helen McCrory as his mild-but-adoring mistress Mary, fill it out to a very solid programme.Obviously it'll be a little less relevant to those who didn't know of Tommy Cooper but the story doesn't rely on prior knowledge so you'll lose nothing from it if you're coming into it cold.

I have seen most of the clips of the famous British funny man with the fez, I can certainly see why during his time he was considered a national treasure, so I was really excited to see that a feature length television made film was coming on about him. Basically Tommy Cooper (Shameless's David Threlfall) is the nation's favourite comedian- magician both on television and on stage, with his trademark fez and bumbling persona, he performs magic tricks that appear to go wrong to large laughter and applause, and he is loved by other great entertainers in the industry too. But behind the eccentric comedy genius is a cantankerous man who has a drinking problem, his wife Gwen aka 'Dove' (New Tricks' Amanda Redman) travels with him frequently for all his performances, but she feels her place is looking after their children at home, and feeling he will be lonely he asks married stage manager and assistant Mary Kay (Skyfall's Helen McCrory) to join him on tour. While Tommy's drinking and late nights damaging his health is a concern to Dove, also a sign for him to retire, Mary is encouraging to him, she loves him to tell his jokes on a regular basis, and also she sees her husband's writing being helped by him, but soon enough Tommy and she cannot help their feelings. Tommy declares his love for Mary, despite being married to Dove, and they begin a close affair, and for a long time his wife is unaware that this going on behind the scenes of his occasional television and frequent stage performances, but when she does find out she turns domestically violent. Tommy does have a health scare, when a suffers a severe heart attack, this makes him question whether he can continue working in entertainment, but he knows he still has a family support, and he cannot choose between the two women over the seventeen years of the affair. Tommy knows his health is deteriorating, but he agrees for a good amount of money, on 15th April 1984, to appear on Live from Her Majesty's, a stage performance televised live in front of millions, he does his usual great work making the audience laugh and clap, with Mary watching from the wings and Dove at home on television. But midway through the performance, while an assistant helps him put on a cloak for his sketch, Tommy falls to the ground in front of the curtain, he stays still for a few seconds before falling backwards, he suffered a fatal attack and died live on television, both Mary and Dove are devastated, never meeting they only pass and glance each other at the mortician's. Also starring Love Actually's Gregor Fisher as Miff Ferrie - Tommy's agent, Andy Rush as Tom Jr., Paul Ritter as Eric Sykes, Bob Golding as Eric Morecambe, Jordan Metcalfe as Les Dennis, Jason Manford as Ken Brooke, Albie Marber as Young Tom Jr., Charlotte Beaumont as Vicky Cooper, Lucy Conley as Young Vicky Cooper and Jacinta Mulcahy as The Queen. Threlfall is almost the perfect spitting image of Tommy, and he absolutely nails the voice and characteristics, he really focuses on the role for both the good and bad times of the real man's life, McCrory does well as the affectionate mistress, and Redman is good also as the long suffering wife. The story works really well as a great tribute to the real man, you can recognise some of his most famous tricks thrown into the scenes, but it is also a realistic story of a man struggling to choose who he truly loves while struggling to continue his success and make ends meet, it will make you laugh, think and emotional in equal measure, a fantastic comedy drama. Very good!

As someone who was born after Tommy Cooper passed away I never had the opportunity to appreciate him while he was alive. I have always heard my parents and others rave about how funny he was so I thought this was definitely worth a watch.I was not disappointed. David Threlfalls portrayal of Tommy Cooper is absolutely amazing. Due to the effort the production crew put in to making him actually look like Tommy Cooper and plus the fact that Threlfall is an outstanding actor I didn't even realize it was him playing the part, in fact I even had to IMDb it part way through to realize it was him. He genuinely brought the part to life.I loved all the one liners throughout this film and immediately got to appreciate Tommy Cooper as a comedian and as a man. One criticism I've heard is how Tommy Cooper comes across as a chain smoking drunk. At the end of the day yes he may have had a drink problem but these things often come with the entertainment industry, but its not like he was ever violent to anybody and at the end of the day Tommy Cooper was a human with faults just like everybody else.Overall I believe this film educated people like me and the next generation just who Tommy Cooper was and through this film and an amazing performance from David Threlfall, Tommy Cooper can live on and continue to be apriciated.

It was like watching Tommy himself. Scenes onstage were bit for bit the exact same as those by the original - which is no small feat to mimic a man's comic timing, posture, facial expressions, voice, and all round charisma. I personally think it's one of the best biopics made in a long long time, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If there isn't a BAFTA somewhere for this I'll be thoroughly disappointed.The core 3 cast members were spectacular as a performance, and obviously Cooper's wife and mistress weren't in the public eye as much so we can't really say how accurate their portrayal is, but the dramatic impact they had in relation to Cooper in this is perfect.Seriously, just so impressed by this performance.