DVD Review - John Gissing

THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING a super romantic comedy about corporations, a nun that kisses willies and an American couple given the run-around in London gets its DVD release on August 12.

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DVD Review:-
THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING (USA/UK 2001) ****
Directed by Mike Binder

Before REIGN OVER ME and THE UPSIDE OF ANGER, writer/director and actor Mike Binder made a small budget romantic comedy called THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING.  This film never made release in Canada, but finally gets its debut on DVD.  But this film did get a showing at Britpics – Toronto British film week that ran for 3 years.  I should know as I was one of the programmers.  (I convinced the film to be shown and this film drew the largest crowd at the Bloor cinema during the festival.)

The plot involves a Chicago businessman, Matthew Barnes (Binder) and his wife (Janeane Garofalo) landing in London for a job concerning a company merger.  John Gissing (Alan Rickman), whom they are supposed to meet is a no-show who gives them a buggered time of a ride, leading from one misadventure to another.  Barnes has been groomed to replace Gissing and Gissing is not about to let him get away with it.  But just as you think this is going to be another OUT-OF-TOWNERS type comedy, Binder pulls a neat trick by turning the tables and having Gissing and Barnes combine force against their predators.

The film is consistent in its comedic pacing with surprisingly quite a number of laugh-out loud hilarity.  The film works not only because of the great pairing of Binder and Garofalo but for the strength of the supporting cast from the known names as Juliet Stevenson and Allan Corduner to Brit staples not too well known to U.S. audiences like the excellent Frank Harper (the cabbie) and Lee Oakes (Carl Gissing).

The romance works, the comedy funny and Binder gets the Brit feel right.  This one is a winner!  THE SEARCH FOR JOHN GISSING is the best pick of a DVD buy.

Special Features:-

The special features include OUTAKES (quite a short section but funny) and deleted scenes (a much longer section).

A few of the deleted scenes actually would add more to the story if included.  The one of the tap dancing at the pub is understandably taken out of the film as it makes little purpose to the plot but nevertheless (this scene) is still fun to watch.