DEATH TO 2021

US, 2020, 60 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Grant, Tracy Ullman, Samson Kayo, Hopper Jackson, Diane Morgan, Cristin Milioti, Joe Keery, Stockard Channing, narrated by Laurence Fishburne.
Directed by Jack Clough, Josh Rubin.

As one commentator put it, ‘I enjoyed it much more than I expected’.

In checking out the review of Death to 2020, the response was much the same – and, so, incorporating some of the same comment.

While the title sounds universal, and there are some sequences from other countries in the world, i this is a film very much for an English-speaking audience, focusing principally on the United States, giving attention to the United Kingdom.

For those of a liberal persuasion, it is very funny indeed, hitting so many of the right targets! For those of a more conservative perspective, it will not be very funny at all, especially in its targeting of Donald Trump.

In 60 minutes, a team of writers have been able to assemble key sequences from 2021, highlighting each month in which they occurred, edited well and with punch, so that there is an overview of what the year was like, especially in the United States.

While the whole film has been narrated by Laurence Fishburne, reporter played by Samuel L. Jackson last year has been taken over by a hard-drinking journals, Stockard Channing.  Hugh Grant is, again,  disguised as an eccentric British historian, Tennyson Foss, delivering all kinds of opinions, prejudices, irritations in the inimitable Hugh Grant fashion.

And, there are a number of returning guest cameos throughout the film, Samson Kayo as a put-upon scientist explaining the covid situation while his words are accompanied by incongruous music; Tracy Ullman sends up all those Fox News commentators. Two fictitious characters return with very strong satirical message, played by British comedian Diane Morgan, and Kathy Flowers, played by American comedian, Cristina Miliotti, provide a kind of dumb chorus, Morgan as Gemma Nettick in England, very limited in her knowledge and expression, sitting on lockdown with her television set and Cristin Milioti as Kathy Flowers all gush, innate prejudice, believing every conspiracy theory, even participating in January 6 riots. Joe Keery appears again as the young man exploiting it all on social media.

The screenplay abounds with verbal jokes which come through very quickly – and, there are some visual jokes, especially when an Internet page or You Tube clip is shown and there are funny indications of further videos on the side.

But, the film is very telling about President Trump in 2021, his refusal to admit defeat, and a focus on the January 6 uprising in Washington. One notable omission is any treatment of China and his relationship to the US.

This film should have an important place in every archive as a reminder, in mockumentary style, of course, of what 2021 was like, especially in the United States and the United Kingdom