Tinsel Town
Jack Bauer of 24 fame is the last person you’d expect to see in a British Christmas movie, but Kiefer Sutherland brings gusto and enthusiasm to Sky Original Tinsel Town. There’s much fun to be had in this fish-out-of-water comedy with a surprisingly sharp script.
Sutherland plays Brad Mack, star of the much-maligned Killing Time action movie series and three-time Razzie nominee. Struggling for work in Hollywood following the franchise’s seventh instalment, Brad heads to the UK in the hopes of salvaging his career with a classy theatre debut, only to end up in a bed and breakfast and a leading panto role. He stars alongside a talented ensemble, featuring the crème de la crème of British TV and theatre: Meera Syal as the exasperated director, Asim Chaudhry and Jason Manford stealing the show as the Two Ugly Sisters, and the always charming Derek Jacobi as a kindly retired actor who allows Brad to stay in his quaint home (after the Hollywood action man’s belongings are stolen from the bed and breakfast). Rebel Wilson also stars, playing production assistant and love interest, Jill.
The movie gives Sutherland, who is also a country musician, an opportunity to show off his impressive singing skills, but it’s his comedy timing that’s most memorable. Brad’s attempts at utilising his method acting to imbue his role (Buttons in Cinderella) with realism are genuinely amusing. And seeing the Hollywood veteran having a clumsy fist fight with Danny Dyer is a surreal sight to behold. There’s even a homage to the infamous viral video of a drunken Sutherland diving into a Christmas tree.
After a promising start, it settles into standard festive movie fare. The laughs die down, and the movie becomes rather flat, rehashing clichés associated with the genre (in particular, musical montages that seem to exist solely to pad out the runtime). Moreover, the only weak link in the otherwise wonderful cast is Wilson, whose attempt at a northern English accent is incredibly distracting. That said, it would be unfair to expect a feel-good festive movie to offer anything mould-breaking, with the main novelty being the presence of Sutherland himself.
It’s so preposterous that it’s endearing, with Sutherland’s camp, comedic foray a guaranteed holidays hit. Ultimately, Tinsel Town is silly fun with its heart in the right place, making for cosy family viewing.
Antonia Georgiou
Tinsel Town is released nationwide on 5th December 2025.
Watch the trailer for Tinsel Town here:
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