I Want Candy

Stars: Carmen Electra, Tom Riley, Tom Burke, Eddie Marsan, Michelle Ryan, John Standing

Director: Stephen Surjik

Three decades ago, at the height (or depth) of Britain's 'Confessions' comedies, a satire on the UK porn industry called Eskimo Nell proved an unexpected laughter winner. Here's another swipe at the same target and, while it's very raunchy, as you might expect, it's also pretty funny.

Film students Joe and Baggy (Riley and Burke, two good-looking newcomers who can act) earn spare cash videoing funerals - 'We make a drama out of a tragedy'. Their local vid store owner (Jimmy Carr) urges the boys to take their ideas for a film to London and start off with a blue movie.

There, they find that Doug, boss of Heat Films (Marsan, as much on the mark as Roy Kinnear was in Eskimo Nell) will only set up the backing for such a venture if they get the world's number one soft-porn star Candy Fiveways (Electra, having fun), who happens to be in town signing copies of her autobiography, to star.

Impressed with Baggy's script, and much to their amazement, she agrees. 'I can't believe,' says love interest Laura (Ryan, once Zoe Slater of EastEnders), a local waitress, 'you're making a porn movie for gangsters in your parents' home.'

Add in three Polish film technicians and the scene is set for likeably erotic chaos. It's not funny all the way through, and the showing of the porno movie to an unsuspecting film school audience by mistake is the oldest plot twist in this particular book. But a British comedy that garners this many laughs these days has to merit applause.

David Quinlan

UK 2007. UK Distributor: Buena Vista. Technicolor.
90 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 2, Violence/Horror 0, Drugs 0, Swearing 1.

Review date: 16 Mar 2007