Written and directed by James Rooke, a messy turf war has erupted between rival ice cream firms in 1980’s Glasgow after one rogue vendor is caught selling knobbly bobblies on Mr Sprinkles patch. Starring: Emun Elliott, Kal John and Aaliyah Iruoesiri.
Sometimes fantastic, clever pieces of comedy come from simple ideas, taking something relatable and exaggerating it in a satisfying manner, that’s what James Rooke does with Whippy. A lot of the choices that Rooke makes with this short film are clever, particularly how little the setup requires, smartly putting the focus on the atmosphere rather than needing excess locations or set dressing. It almost creates a dystopian note with its directorial and editing (by Franco Cuen) styles in its opening, which sets a nicely harsh yet curious tone.
That’s one thing Rooke does excellently throughout, bring through notes of different genres, although its western feel definitely takes the lead. Creating a classic standoff and building a world around it that’s not at all removed from the everyday but is elevated by its aesthetic and colouring. Although, it can get caught up in that theme and start to drift away from the comedy side of things, but a few well-chosen lines delivered by Aaliyah Iruoesiri put things back on course.
A far cry from his upcoming role in Peter Greenaway’s latest feature, Emun Elliott takes on the role of the unforgiving, vengeful Mr. Sprinkles. Elliott is a great choice because he’s sympathetic enough to not become a full on villain, but certainly has a devilish side to him. Making for a great combination to lean into the dark side while holding onto the humour. While Kal John creates classic bumbling, unsuspecting qualities which makes for a great match with Elliott. Topped off perfectly, not with a flake, but with an absolutely charming young actress in the form of Iruoesiri, who forgoes the sweetness for something wonderfully blunt.
Whippy creates an atmosphere and aesthetic that satisfying blend genres and tones, adding a darker twist on something typically wholesome. The filmmakers made impressively smart choices to develop a strong visual, backed by a fun, entertaining script, brought to life by a small but well chosen cast. The plot could have a little bit more progression and it could hit the comedy notes more frequently to balance itself out but regardless, it’s well-made and highly enjoyable.
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