# SuperBob

SuperBob is a 2015 British superhero mockumentary comedy film directed by Jon Drever and starring Brett Goldstein, who co-wrote the screenplay with William Bridges. The film focuses on a Peckham postman who develops superpowers after being hit by a meteorite. The film premiered in London on 16 October 2015, after having first been shown at the London Comedy Film Festival in January and the San Diego Film Festival in early October.

## Plot

In 2008, an asteroid fragment lands in Peckham, London hitting Robert 'Bob' Kenner, a mild-mannered and socially awkward postman. Gaining Superman-like powers, Bob initially tries to learn how to use his new powers alone, but hands himself into the authorities after an incident in which he crashes into the Shard.
Bob is trained by the Ministry of Defence and (now known as 'SuperBob') becomes the world's first superhero, working for the MOD and the British Government as a 'civil servant'.
6 years later, Bob's boss Theresa Ford authorizes creation of a documentary to show the public that SuperBob is a 'normal guy'. Bob still lives in Peckham with his security guard Barry and his cleaner Dorris - who also works at the care home where Bob's mother lives, trying to raise money to open a nursery in Colombia. Bob explains to the camera crew that he gets a day off from work every Tuesday, and reveals that he's going out for his first date in 6 years with librarian June.
While shopping for clothes with Dorris for his date, Bob receives an emergency call from Theresa telling him to come in for a meeting in preparation for Bob to be introduced to American senator Bill Jackson. Jackson is in London for the MOD Weapons Summit and sees SuperBob as a 'dangerous weapon that Britain doesn't have control over' (although this is mostly part of a smear campaign after America failed to poach Bob from the UK a year previously). However, after talking to June and following Dorris' advice, Bob stands up to Theresa and leaves to go on the date. He is then called away to the care home after his mother has an accident. A misunderstanding causes Bob's mum (who has short-term memory loss) to think that he and Doris are now dating.
Wanting to keep his mum happy, the pair share a tender dance together at the home's celebration, where it is clear they share romantic feelings. However, June rings and Bob arranges for them to have dinner together at his house. After he and Dorris leave the care home, Bob overhears reports of a multi-car pileup and goes to help. There, he is scolded by Theresa for not following orders and working on his day off. Despite this, he openly disobeys her, comforting a fatally injured woman before her death. Upon returning home, Dorris briefly consoles him until June arrives for dinner. After finding a note from Dorris regarding a problem he had earlier, Bob decides not to continue with the date as he reveals to June that he wants to be with Dorris.
The date is brought to a sudden end when Bob and June are brought to the MOD for the Weapons Summit. June reveals that Theresa stopped her from going to lunch with him and that although she does like him, Theresa and the MOD want him to be with June rather than Doris as June is American. However, upon shaking hands with Senator Jackson he learns that the US government has paid for a nursery for Dorris and is sending her away. Bob reacts angrily at being manipulated before smashing through the roof of the MOD building and flying off to search for Dorris – instigating a worldwide manhunt for him with sightings in several locations around the world.
Bob eventually finds Dorris in the care home, with local residents forming a barrier to prevent the police from entering as they express their feelings for each other. He convinces her to go to Colombia with him to follow her dream of working with children. Explaining to the world he's resigning from the MOD and going freelance, Bob declares he is no longer a civil servant or the property of the UK and gives his number for people to call for help. Bidding farewell to Teresa and his mother, Bob and Dorris fly off into the night.
In the epilogue, Bob and Dorris are in a relationship, have relocated with Barry to Colombia, where Bob continues to work as a superhero. Theresa has been reassigned to Afghanistan, and scientists have been examining the meteorite for six years in the hope of finding the source of SuperBob's powers, but without success.

## Cast

* Brett Goldstein as Bob
* Natalia Tena as Dorris
* Laura Haddock as June
* Ruth Sheen as Pat
* David Harewood as Simon
* Catherine Tate as Theresa
* Zoe Lyons as Peckham Dog Lady
* Gemma Godfrey as London Today Anchor
* Paul Lavers as Highlight News Anchor
* Olivia Wayne as TSC News Anchor
* Joe Wilkinson as The Postman
* Nick Rowley as Policeman
* James Branch as Police Marksman
* Yao Chin as UKVM Anchor
* Simon Balch as The Scientist
* Cliodhna Canning as Saved Child
* Dexter Godfrey as Saved Baby
* Jon Drever as Himself
* Harri Grace as Injured Man
* Rachel Stubbings as Saved Woman
* Rizwan Shebani as Darren
* Angie Le Mar as Choir Leader
* Ricky Grover as Barry
* Lorna Gayle as Maureen
* Aleksy Komorowski as Karl
* Hattie Hayridge as Pram Woman
* Jamie Glassman as The Shopkeeper
* Matthew Steer as Joe
* Martin McDougall as Senator Jackson
* Christian Contreras as Javier
* Camilla Marie Beepot as Lisa
* James Green as Ted
* Louis Saint Juste as Tomas
* Chrissie Furness as Dying Woman
* Stuart Stanton as MOD Driver
* Logan Wong as Xiang Chou
* Czeslaw Balon as George Porodumuo
* Stefano Gressleux as Giuseppe Cotello
* Sadao Ueda as Japanese Dignatory
* Mark Restuccia as Alexei Sangiev
* Jason Barnett as Colonel Mateso
* Elaine Godfrey as Hooked Hand Dignatory
* Mark Foster-Bennett as Secret Service Man
* Emily Corcoran as Check-in Clerk
* Rob Curling as Peckham Reporter

## Production

Based on an idea by director Jon Drever, the film quickly became a joint project between Drever, writer William Bridges and comedian Brett Goldstein, who stars as SuperBob and also co-wrote the script. Initially intended as a short film, it eventually turned into a feature film once they managed to get Catherine Tate on board. The film was shot entirely in Peckham in 19 days.

## Reception

The film received four stars from reviewer Chris Hewitt of Empire, who wrote: "By keeping the lid on effects that would be laughed out of Marvel, and focusing instead on a low-key story of the world’s most powerful man on his day off, Jon Drever and Brett Goldstein’s movie taps into the same reserves of warmth and heart that made Shaun of the Dead soar".
Wendy Ide in The Guardian was less enthusiastic, finding that, "The film shares some thematic similarities with James Gunn’s vigilante nerd picture Super; however, the unfocused, sentimental approach of SuperBob is in stark contrast to the savage edge that made Super such a malicious pleasure".