A relentlessly cutesy movie based on some very unlikely ideas, the British comedy “Dough” is engineered to please just about everybody. Except me, I guess.
The movie has one drawing card, which is that it gives a lead role to the great Jonathan Pryce, storied actor of stage (“Miss Saigon”) and screen (“Brazil”). Pryce plays an elderly Jewish man, Nat, who struggles to maintain a kosher bakery.
The place has been in the family since his grandfather’s time, but Nat’s lawyer son has no interest in maintaining tradition. Meanwhile, a greedy megastore mogul (Philip Davis) has designs on buying up the property — owned by a restless widow (old pro Pauline Collins) — that houses Nat’s modest store.
There’s much, much more. Nat’s assistant leaves, so he hires Aayash (Jerome Holder), a Muslim immigrant from Darfur, to be his new apprentice.
You’d think the culture clash between Jewish baker and Muslim novice might be enough for a normal movie, but no. On the side, a desperate Aayash had been dealing marijuana for a tough local pusher (Ian Hart).
Hang in there for one more paragraph of complications. Some of the pot accidentally gets dumped into a week’s worth of dough, magically increasing the bakery’s business and bringing back customers clamoring for more.
There’s a certain strain of recent British comedy that relies on the idea of staid English people doing something naughty, and I guess that’s where the weed comes in. So get set for a few scenes of uptight people getting adorably high.
The film’s real purpose is bringing together different cultures, and proving that Jews and Muslims can get along. Of course this is a nice message and of course it would be pleasant if people got along, but the “We Are the World” point in evidence here is rather smothering.
There’s way too much sugar in the recipe, in other words — for my metabolism, anyway. I freely admit that others may find this movie quite funny, especially if you’ve ingested special brownies beforehand.
Nice seeing Jonathan Pryce, full-bearded and spry. He’s been busy lately, popping up in “Game of Thrones” and killing it in the indie “Listen Up Philip.” An actor this skilled deserves lead roles, even if they’re in movies like “Dough.”
“Dough” 1 ½ stars
A relentlessly cutesy British comedy about a Jewish baker (Jonathan Pryce) and his Muslim assistant (Jerome Holder) and what happens when some marijuana gets into the recipe. Pretty heavy on the “We Are the World” stuff.
Rating: Not rated; probably PG-13 for violence, subject matter
Showing: Sundance Cinemas
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