Review: The Search For Simon

Synopsis: 30 years ago, David’s younger brother Simon disappeared without a trace and has never been seen since. David is still looking, and the search for Simon has become his life.

[Imaginary gabble smack] “Motion carried, now piss off! I’m eating cheese … and drinking wine.”

You know that thing where you’re avoiding watching a film because the trailer looks kind of … well, naff, but then you finally get around to watching it and then want to go back in time and slap past-you for being such a judgemental twerp because the film is actually amazing? I’ve welcomed The Search For Simoninto my list of that type of film and now I couldn’t be happier to recommend this absolutely barmy indie (like, there’s a full-on, spare-change-in-between-the-sofa’s-cushions kind of budget) effort to anyone who will listen.

Most low-budget, British sci-fi films that concern themselves with space or aliens ring on the Douglas Adams doorbell and The Search For Simon does so occasionally, with its pragmatic characters poking our funny bones with their simultaneous quirkiness. Lucky for us, director-writer-cameraman-actor-editor-everything’er Martin Gooch seems to have also been heavily influenced by the off-beat humour of Monty Python and he wields this infusion of respectively aberrant comedy stylings with his own home-turf, spur of the moment guerrilla filmmaking technique to create a super awesome part-mockumentary/part-candid sci-fi dramedy.

Bringing Gooch’s series of eccentric characters to life are the little-knowns Millie Reeve, Julian Bastida,Simon Birks, Noeleen Comiskey and Sophie Aldred, who each add an earnest authenticity to the production that reminds one of the ensemble of weirdos that made Spaced so great.

The Search For Simon isn’t mind-blowing filmmaking for sure – Gooch’s cinematography and post-production editing skills leave a lot to the imagination but you’re so caught up in his snappy dialogue, whip-crack humour and over-dramatized production and narrative quirks that it’s hard to even consider rating the film based on it’s less alluring merits.

Seriously, if British sci-fi pumped full of creative passion is your thing get The Search For Simon in you as soon as you can; if we give Gooch all the DVD-related financial support we can we might be blessed with more of his off-centre comedic genius in the near future!

The Search For Simon is released on DVD on 29th September