Directed by Brook Driver and Finn Bruce, Swede Caroline is a British mockumentary about the tumultuous and competitive world of vegetable growing. Starring Jo Hartley, Richard Lumsden, Celyn Jones, Fay Ripley, Rebekah Murrell, Aisling Bea, and Ray Fearon, this humorous comedy follows the story of Paul, Caroline, and Willy and their efforts to uncover the culprits behind a vegetable theft.
In the movie, Paul and Caroline are expert vegetable growers. With the help of their next door neighbour, Willy, they regularly grow large veggies which they enter into the Annual Big Vegetable Championships in the British market town of Shepton Mallet.
But following a break-in at their garden greenhouse, the trio’s recent crop of homegrown produce has been stolen. This leads Paul, Caroline, and Willy to launch an investigation, which is captured on film as part of a documentary.
Featuring some cracking lines, as well as a collection of enjoyable performances from the central cast, Swede Caroline is a daft, but likeable comedy romp. The movie is utterly bonkers, and largely about nothing in particular, but at the same time it is a fun way to spend 90 minutes of your time, so long as you’re ready and willing to go with it.
Shot to look like a documentary, with the cast regularly speaking direct to camera, Swede Caroline pokes fun at the ruthlessness of vegetable growing. If you thought it was all fertiliser and frolics think again, this movie contains guns, swingers, and stolen marrows.
And if all that wasn’t enough, Swede Caroline also includes a sinister plot, medieval swords, and some severed fingers. And all of this is mixed together with boiled eggs, battered sausage and chips, and a car chase which is over before it even begins.
At the centre of Swede Caroline is a terrific performance from Jo Hartley as the titular Caroline. Hartley is perfectly cast in the role, bringing a down-to-Earth realness to the part, which helps to balance out all the absurdity.
Joining Hartley on screen is Richard Lumsden as the hilarious Paul, and Celyn Jones as the equally fun neighbour, Willy. These two actors provide plenty of comic relief and prove to be suitable back-up.
Add to this a supporting cast of well-known faces and comedic actors, including Fay Ripley and Aisling Bea, as well as a delightfully wicked script, and Swede Caroline is gleeful viewing. The movie is British through-and-through, it will have you tittering at times, and after you spend 90 minutes in its company you’ll wonder if every person with green fingers is this committed to their produce.
Should you wish to check out Swede Caroline, the movie arrives in UK cinemas from Friday 19th April. Swede Caroline has cult comedy classic written all over it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes a film which is endlessly quoted by those who fall for its charms.
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