Overview

• Advance notices from The Independent and Empire commend Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as a compelling duo at the film’s center.
• Reviewers describe a lighter, more farcical tone than the 1989 original while noting that the humor still lands with occasional shocks.
• The story tracks a marriage strained by a career role reversal, with the British couple navigating California’s liberal milieu as part of the satire.
• Some criticism targets the film’s look and sense of place, including Devon standing in unconvincingly for Northern California.
• Directed by Jay Roach and written by Tony McNamara, the Searchlight release opens 29 August with a reported 105‑minute runtime and Cert 15 rating.