Tortoise In Love review

Can you divorce a film from the story of its making?

Does it add to your enjoyment that this ultra-low-budget tale of a terminally shy gardener (Tom Mitchelson) and his love for an au pair (Alice Zawadzki) was made with the participation of almost the entire Oxfordshire village of Kingston Bagpuize?

Maybe, but the traditional problem of am-dram persists: unless it’s your son/daughter/dad/nan doing their thing, you’re never as forgiving as the enthusiastic cast would wish.

Still, whatever its shortcomings next to professional product, its existence alone is cheering.