Charming and tastefully indie, I Want Candy is a breezy comedy that will definitely surprise you. You can see it’s made on a budget but with a lot of heart, skill, and dedication. It follows two film school students chasing their dreams of making their first movie. And what’s better than that, chasing your dreams. As the old saying goes: go after your dreams, time will pass anyway. Although the cynic and rational critic in me almost immediately screams against this sort of simplification. However, that’s not what we’re here to talk about. We’re here to talk about this silly and distinctly British comedy. Just think of it as your standard-issue American sex comedy but without toilet humor or gross-out scenes. Okay, maybe one gross-out scene. Okay, okay there are a couple and some pretty strong dialogue. Just don’t expect American Pie style of humor and you’ll be fine.
First of all, the question is can you make a sexually-themed comedy without any nudity? Ancient full frontal theorists say a resounding yes and point to this fucking movie. It shows what can you do when try really hard to bend and twist these familiar concepts of sex, nudity and movie making into one easygoing mix. The pacing is fast, dialogue snappy and well-written along with decent production values. And the cast of I Want Candy is just perfect. Tom Burke stole the show here as Baggy along with Eddie Marsan in another memorable role. You should see Burke in Donkey Punch, he was phenomenal there. Tom Riley was a bit wobbly but the same cannot be said about Carmen Elektra reprising her role from Mating Habits. Plus you’ve got fucking always hilarious Jimmy Car as the video store owner!
Joe and Baggy are two friends who have been working on their first movie for three years now. They’re students at the Leatherhead University and are looking forward to finally seeing their dreams come true. However, after a change in curriculum they realize the movie was just that, a dream. Joe is already looking at the job at the family business and Baggy’s just depressed. When they were at the lowpoint, a friend of theirs suggest they should make their own movie. And make it they will.
Do you remember that time when you use to go to the video store to get your movies? Pepperidge farm remembers. Man, as soon as I saw actual printed movie posters and rows and rows of movies I was transported back in time. As I mentioned earlier, this is a comedy about two guys making a movie on a shoestring budget. So just think Bowfinger or Zack and Miri Make a Porno and you’ll know where you’re at. And while we’re dropping names, you might wanna check out The Girl Next Door as it features a similar story and atmosphere. I Want Candy is a simple and feel-good movie with a predictable story that just flows. It’s got just enough spicy stuff to keep you engaged for ninety minutes and then you’re going to forget you ever saw it. And sometimes you need a comedy that does exactly that.
In the end, as someone who prefers edgy toilet humor, I have to say I liked I Want Candy despite its tame nature. After all, can a movie with a shitting scene be all that bad? Oddly enough, another Carmen Elektra comedy Mardi Gras: Spring Break, features a much better scene that had me on the floor rolling. Shit, I just remembered it and chuckled.
Director: Stephen Surjik
Writers: Peter Hewitt, Phil Hughes, Jamie Minoprio, Jonathan M. Stern, Piers Thompson, Olivia Glazebrook, Fred Wolf, Jimmy Carr
Cast: Tom Riley, Tom Burke, Carmen Electra, Eddie Marsan, Michelle Ryan, Mackenzie Crook, Jimmy Carr
Fun Facts: The fictional Leatherhead University is actually the campus of Brooklands College in Weybridge, Surrey, England.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791309/
