Midlands Review - Tom, Dick and Harry: Christmas Special

Directed by Philippe Ashfield

2019

Instant Entertainment

A new micro short film comes from Midlands director and producer Philippe Ashfield and has the perfect festive theme for the forthcoming winter months where we are thrown into Christmas carols, elves and reindeer games.

Written by Julie Paupe and already nominated for a Birmingham Film Festival award, Tom, Dick and Harry: Christmas Special opens with a rendition of festive favourite "Ding Dong Merrily on High” performed by a trio of church choristers with a bell-jingling elf joining in for good measure.

Three lads (Charlie Wernham, Sam Gittins and Luke Higgins) arrive on a couch and are suspicious of the scenario before they begin to question the motives of the conductor and make clear they are not the Tom, Dick and harry of the title.

However, the star-wearing conductor explains that they are in fact creating a skit to promote the longer film Tom, Dick and Harry. Immediately this meta-moment throws us off and into the surreal comedy world we are about to inhabit. But the boys are still not pleased, especially after hearing this alternative skit will be called “Ding Dong” and they will be replicating the choir members’ singing.

Despite their protests, we cut to find the boys dressed as Santa, an elf and a reindeer as one claims to be a “serious actor”. And quickly they are forced to enact a “sing battle” with the choir.

From a jokey reindeer antler ‘mic-drop’ to a comedic attempt at some falsetto, the film creates laughs as the boys struggle both with the melody and the lyrics of the Chrimbo classic.

Thinking their ramshackle effort “smashed it” over the virtuoso vocals of the harmonic choir, the boys exit as the short wraps up.

The film clearly acts as an advert of sorts for the forthcoming film featuring the same group, but as a witty self-referential mockumentary, it’s a unique idea to tie in with their larger project.

With some festive fun and jolly jokes, the short balances a parody of Christmas clichés and its goal to set up some interest in their follow up. And with zippy dialogue and good-natured sarcasm, the short itself is still a successful stocking filler that teases a bigger present to come.

Michael Sales