Vacuuming Completely Nude in Paradise (2001) Reviews

• Funniest film I have seen in a long time.

  albrodie2002-04-29

  This is the funniest film I have seen in a long time. I actually laughed out loud. The characters are so true to life they make one see how utterly bizarre life is. Particularly the character of Tommy. Anyone who has ever worked in a sales position will find his performance perfectly hilarious. It's probably not a comedy for everyone though. There's a fair amount of raw English slang and one remarkably graphic sex scene that almost seems out of place until you hear Pete's comment in the scene that follows. Overall I recommend this, but by all means expect the unexpected!

• Something completely different

  maryturzillo2005-02-27

  I just finished watching this movie with my husband, and it was a real mind-bender. We both loved Timothy Spall, and the other characters were also divinely funny. De Kid was a special treat. Jim Cartwright? Wow. I am astonished at how Spall managed to maintain that level of demonic energy. Oh my word what completely bizarre stuff: dead old ladies by candlelight, tragic scenes played in underpants and cat ears, shagging a woman to get her to buy a vacuum cleaner. The opening alone was worth ten times the rental cost! The totally disgusted, annoyed stripper dancing to a dying man: "All right! You want me to take off my bra!" I see the only other critic here didn't like it, and I'm not sure why. Tastes vary, and I do admit I like things that are a little different. Scratch that: I like things that are a lot different!

• A riveting performance

  NymChimpsky2001-10-07

  This short film is pure brilliance. While its style of jump cuts, close-ups and abrupt, energetic camera movement is jarring, this is a deliberate ploy on behalf of Boyle to unsettle the audience. We are drawn in to the hectic and aggressive lifestyle of the salesmen by the in-your-face action and dialogue. The combination of Boyle's exciting camera-work and Cartwright's intelligent, dark, witty script is, in my mind, perfect. There is an amazing amount of humour interspersed in the poverty, destitution and desperation of the backdrop. But what really sets this drama apart is the amazing performance of Timothy Spall as the obsessive salesman. Despite playing an unadulterated b**tard, you can still see some humanity in his bullying and ruthless behaviour, and even feel pity at the person he has become. A lesser actor would surely have struggled to show the two sides to his character but Spall is utterly convincing and compelling in his intensity. And if you like this, be sure to watch the other Boyle/Cartwright collaboration, 'Strumpet'.

• very funny indeed

  strindbergman2004-01-19

  i´ve just seen this film once, last year, and i must say i found it very hilarious. timothy spall plays a big role. the way he teaches his new colleague and his lifestyle made me cry (laughing). in fact it is a black humour film, very bright and funny on the surface but very sad at the core. i recommend it with no reserves. it´s sense of humour may be thick, but it´s still worth the seeing.

• Boyle's back in top form

  SammyK2001-09-16

  From the reaction at the screening at this year's Toronto Int'l Film Festival, "Vacuuming..." and "Strumpet" - two new films from Danny Boyle, are instant crowd favourites. Danny Boyle is back, after slumming it with "A Life Less Ordinary" and "The Beach." He's in familiar territory here, similar to that of "Trainspotting." We see working class angst, social realism and a healthy dose of the fantastic. It's gritty, it's dirty, and it's incredibly entertaining. Boyle manages to find gold in the gutters of the slums. He's also assembled a fine cast of actors, including Timothy Spall and Christopher Eccleston (in "Strumpet."). Perhaps the biggest triumph lies in Boyle's ability to use digital video to his advantage. The possibilities of the medium are fully displayed here, and the result is breathtaking. One hopes that Boyle will stick to what he does best and leave Hollywood behind him!