Mikes Film Talk

The 2025 action/comedy Deep Cover proves itself to be a breath of fresh air. It is insanely good and almost a laugh a minute. After watching several films with asinine plot lines, this Tom Kingsley directed feature was finally worth watching. All 99 minutes of it worked unbelievably well.

The story

Set in London, three unsuccessful improvisational performers go to work for the police. Their goal? To take down a drug dealing kingpin. *Not unlike the Netflix “true story” about a Hitman, Deep Cover is a fun look at a not true story.* In this case, however, we follow three “losers” on their own personal journey into the basement of life. That is, until Met cop Billings recruits Kat, who then recruits Marlon and Hugh.

The Main Cast

Bryce Dallas Howard is Kat.

Orlando Bloom is Marlon.

Nick Mohammed is Hugh.

Sean Bean is Billings.

Paddy Considine is Fly.

Sonoya Mizuno is Shosh.

Ian McShane is Metcalfe.

And the also rans

Ben Ashenden is Dawes.

Alexander Owen is Beverly.

Leart Dokle is Skender.

Omid Djalili is Sagar.

Freya Parker is Harriet.

Kudos To

Nneka Okoye as K-Lash. “Whatta ya sayin’.”

Thinking on their feet

Greatest improv gig ever? Kat, Marlon and Hugh manage to fool Fly, and then go on to pull the wool over Skender’s peepers. The entire gig was meant to be about buying illegal cigarettes. After inadvertently upping the stakes, the three become Roach, Bunny and The Squire.

The only villain who senses they are not what they claim is Metcalfe, who is as mad as a hatter.

The trio manage to sell back the Albanian’s own cocaine. They then kill a hitman, and get their contact killed.

It is a gloriously funny journey into the criminal underworld by three actors playing their parts. Marlon is all method, Kat is support your team member and Hugh is the bumbler.

Deep Cover bts

Director Kingsley works with a script written by no less than four people. Derek Connolly, Colin Trevorrow, Ben Ashenden, and Alexander Owen all share credit on this one. In this instance there are not too many cooks working this “broth.” DP Will Hanke and editor Mark Williams work together to put out bright, glaring scenes. These are then combined with gritty and dark underworld frames of outside London.

Daniel Pemberton gives us music that fits each scene like a skin tight glove. It is his soundtrack that makes this action/comedy work so well.

it works

Deep Cover works like an wicked dream. Because it focuses on the characters as people and not just caricatures. Even McShane’s Metcalfe, who is a nutcase of the finest order, feels real. One of the funniest scenes in the film is Metcalfe’s insistence on using Jenga as a truth barometer.

While the three “actors” work the criminals, the coppers work at arresting this new trio of villains. The two coppers in charge of the investigation are a great comedy duo in their own right.

It is worth watching just for the police chase in the back streets and markets of London alone.

The Verdict

Deep Cover is a 5 star treat. The English know how to do comedy and they have not let the side down here. You can stream the film on Prime.

The Trailer