Rag Tale review

The presses never stop rolling in Mary McGuckian’s tabloid journalism critique; unfortunately, neither does the rotating, undulating camera. It’s a bold, foolhardy flourish that proves as distracting as it is disorienting. It also means that for much of the film’s extended duration we’re looking at its talented ensemble upside-down. It’s just another day at The Rag: Editor Eddy (Rupert Graves) is secretly shagging his proprietor’s wife (Jennifer Jason Leigh) while single-handedly trying to bring down the monarchy. “Who are we going to get this week?” he asks his staff. The answer is Eddy himself, though he won’t go down without a fight. Improvised, the dialogue sounds authentic: “Be Sienna for a tenner!” shrieks the vampish fashion ed. The plot, alas, never rings true on any level and ultimately makes as little sense as the crazy visuals. Hold the front page! This one needs a rewrite.