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Funny Woman stars Gemma Arterton (Black Narcissus) as Barbara Parker, a young ’60s girl, working in a sweet-making factory, but aiming for the big lights, starting with being a glamour girl, and up for Miss Blackpool Belle, but she wants more than that, heading off down to that there London, working in a clothes shop…. for the time being.
She has desires on being an actress on stage and TV, and at one point, meets an older man called Valentine, who she thinks might be good for her, but he’s an old letch and best avoided. She’s fed up of being treated like a bimbo, yet dresses like Barbara Windsor on steroids.
On the plus side, with the opener, I like that establishing shots are in an intentionally poor-quality 4:3 image, and before revealing her dream job, her roommate, Marjorie (Alexa Davies – Honour), tells her, “My Dad says that actresses are nothing but common prostitutes”; and it’s fun to see Rupert Everett (Adult Material) as slimy theatrical agent Brian Debenham.
There’s support from David Threlfall (Isolation Stories) as her father, George, and Rosie Cavaliero (Mincemeat: On The Edge) as her Aunty Marie, but both actors are exactly the same as you always see them.
However, on the downside, Funny Woman is very sluggish as a drama, it all feels a bit bitty with no real direction of plot, and Gemma is too old for the role, at nearly 37, since her character seems to be in her mid-20s. Was no-one else available?
Thanks to our friends at Sky for the screener prior to release.
Funny Woman is not available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but is on Sky Showcase from Thursday February 9th at 10pm, and all episodes are available from day 1.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 45 minutes per episode (6 episodes)
Release date: February 9th 2023
Studio: Sky TV
Format: 2.00:1
Director: Oliver Parker
Screenplay: Morwenna Banks
Novel: Nick Hornby
Music: Nainita Desai
Cast:
Barbara Parker: Gemma Arterton
Dennis: Arsher Ali
Clive: Tom Bateman
George Parker: David Threlfall
Aunty Marie: Rosie Cavaliero
Patsy Debenham: Morwenna Banks
Brian Debenham: Rupert Everett
Tony: Leo Bill
Marjorie: Alexa Davies
Bill: Matthew Beard
Diane: Clare-Hope Ashitey
Ted Sargent: Alistair Petrie
Edith: Emily Bevan
Polly: Rosa Coduri
Aiden: Kyle Pryor
Miss Sykes: Doon Mackichan
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.