The Greater Good

Rating: 8/10 (22 April 2007)

Greetings again from the darkness. Brilliant comedy/spoof/homage co-written by rising star director Edgar Wright and star Simon Pegg ... yes, the team from "Shaun of the Dead". There are so many well written and deftly delivered punchlines here, one can hardly keep up.
Supercop Pegg (named Nick Angel ... same as the film's music director) is "promoted" off the London police squad and into a quaint little country village with no history of murder, but the world's highest "accident" rate. Pegg partners up with stereotypical pudgy cop played perfectly by Nick Frost, who also happens to be the police chief's (Jim Broadbent) son. While every town death is casually explained away by the latest "accident" report, Pegg continues to pursue the notion that evil retailer Timothy Dalton is behind it all. Not to give anything away, but Pegg's theories lead to some hilarious dialogue between all parties.
Suffice to say, the film combines "The Stepford Wives" with "The Wicker Man" and then proceeds to throw in numerous references to Mr. Wright's favorite U.S. cop film "Bad Boys II". Working equally well as an homage or a spoof, the film does a terrific job of jabbing U.S. buddy films and action films. The shoot-outs are a hoot and it is so amazing to see so few wounded with so many rounds fired at close range.
Other support work is provided by Paddy Considine, Bill Nighy and numerous other Wright favs. Don't miss a quick shot of LOTR director Peter Jackson as the slashing Santa or a masked Cate Blanchett as Pigg's ex.
Two other notes of interest: look for a quick scene involving a lost goose with Stephen Marchant (one of the masterminds behind "The Office"); and Mr. Wright also directed the best of the fake trailers, "Don't", in the recent Tarantino/Rodriguez release "Grindhouse".