Look of Love (The)
- Director: Michael Winterbottom
- Writer: Matt Greenhalgh
- Producer: Jenny Borgars; Katherine Butler
CGiii Comment
What is there to like about Paul Raymond? Absolutely nothing, apart - perhaps - from Steve Coogan's overly kind portrayal of the man who put the sleaze into Soho...and, made a fortune.
Unfortunately, the film spreads itself too thinly - covering too many decades...because of it's episodic and anecdotal structure, empathy and involvement simply disappear.
The tragedy of the coke-snorting, talentless daughter leaves you cold...and, uncaring.
The tragedy of the abandoned, working-class son is fleeting and unexplored.
Everything is too fast...leaving rather exhausted and untouched - for it takes a considerable talent to extract sympathy for wealthy wastrels...that talent, unfortunately, was not present in the writing.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
After the untimely death of his daughter, Paul Raymond reflects on his life. Rising from a mind-reading act, Raymond grew to have a fabulously successful career as an erotica magnate that would make him the richest man in Britain. However, for all his material success, Paul's appetites mess up his personal life, such as alienating his wife with his philandering. Furthermore, even as he challenged his society's sexual mores, Paul's relationship with his daughter proves troublingly problematic as she came of age. While trying to be the best father he could, Paul gradually comes to realize that his proclivities have impoverished him in ways that mere money cannot address.
Cast & Characters
Steve Coogan as Paul Raymond;
Imogen Poots as Debbie Raymond;
Shirley Henderson as Rusty Humphries;
Tamsin Egerton as Fiona Richmond / Amber;
Anna Friel as Jean Raymond;
Stephen Fry as Barrister;
Matt Lucas as Matron Behind Bars;
Sarah Solemani as Anna;
David Walliams as Vicar Edwyn Young;
Simon Bird as Jonathan Hodge