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Derek Malcolm's rating
Freudian gag wears thin
By
Derek Malcolm
21 Sep 2006
The idea might sustain an audacious short: women the world over are hooked, not on men, or even each other, but on the Rampant Rabbit, a sex toy which makes them hysterical addicts and spawns support groups for those trying to kick the habit.
As a full-length mockumentary film, however, it isn't long before the vaguely Freudian gag wears pretty thin.
Ian Denyer's film features Tom Conti as a Cambridge don, Tom Hollander as the CEO responsible for the Rabbit (from £28) and fleeting appearances from Germaine Greer, Richard Branson, Danny Baker, William Boyd and Emily Mortimer.
You can't complain about either the direction or the cast. You can about the subject matter, which is neither funny enough, nor able to suggest anything more serious than the idea that the Rabbit is women's answer to men watching porn.
It's a film which palls so quickly that, long before its end, you want to insert six inches of buzzing, revolving plastic into whoever initially decided it would make a good feature. Show this to foreigners as an example of the new British cinema and they'll think we've all gone bananas.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
