Whiskey Galore

The oft-repeated quote "Dying is easy...Comedy is hard" never really sinks in until you watch something that perfectly illustrates how difficult the genre can be to pull off. Whiskey Galore! (2016) is a remake of the 1949 British comedy from Ealing Studios that related the story (based on actual events) of a conspiracy among the thirsty population of an isolated Scottish Isle to pilfer the precious alcoholic cargo of a freighter stuck on the rocks just offshore. While the original managed to pull off a breezy bit of rebellious wit with a likable cast of characters, director Gillies MacKinnon only makes a passing attempt to do the same. Instead, his version feels very much like a stab at serious drama that doesn't deserve the exclamation point at the end of its title.

Built around the actual wreck of the SS Politician, which ran aground during WWII off the north coast of Eriskay carrying 22,000 cases of whiskey - 7,000 of which the locals managed to swipe before it sank - both films work from the same logline. Sergeant Odd (Sean Biggerstaff) returns to propose marriage to his sweetheart and take command of the volunteer forces on the island, currently be led by the paranoid prepper Captain Wagget (Eddie Izzard). But the entire population has been on edge since wartime rationing has forced the local bar to go dry.

The wreck of the SS Cabinet Minister, with its golden cargo, is a temptation too good to resist. Despite the fact that looters are threatened with legal prosecution, Sergeant Odd allows himself to be "incapacitated" while the islanders scoop up what they can, which also includes a mysterious red briefcase rumored to be essential to national security. But the ever-vigilant Captain Wagget suspects foul play and quickly arranges for a door-to-door inspection in an attempt to track down the illegal contraband. Cleverly consuming and shuffling any many bottles as they can, the residents work together to outsmart the government officials...and satisfy their thirst!

It's rather pointless to talk about Whiskey Galore!'s potential since the 1949 version was already pretty much spot-on. But what's so mystifying is how Gillies modern approach manages to screw things up. There are a few high notes, mostly Eddie Izzard performance as Wagget, who, along with actress Fenella Woolgar as his ditzy wife, are the only actors playing for laughs. The other storylines, including a pair of impending marriages, a domineering mother-in-law and the birth of illegitimate twins unfold like excerpts from an overly earnest indie film. Cut together with the madcap conspiracy, Whiskey Galore! is one of the most tone-deaf films in recent memory.

Which is a shame because the technical credits are to be admired. The cinematography by Downton Abbey's Nigel Willoughby is so gorgeous it could be put on continuous loop and used by the Scottish Tourism Board. And lead actor Sean Biggerstaff - probably best known as Oliver Wood in a few of the Harry Potter films - is a charmer whose talents the film never utilizes properly. Whiskey Galore! seems afraid to even attempt to walk in the footsteps of its predecessor, a creative choice that only proves another old adage to be true: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Arrow Films' Blu-ray release offers up a superlative presentation (seriously, it's so good-looking it should be the go-to display in Best Buy's hi-def department). But the only extras are 20-minutes of EPK-style interviews with the cast and crew.