Star Rating:

Cuban Fury

Director: James Griffiths

Actors: Chris O'Dowd, Ian McShane

Release Date: Monday 30th November -0001

Genre(s): Factual

Running time: TBC (TBC) minutes

Nick Frost is mostly known for being 'the one who isn’t Simon Pegg' from movies like Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. While Pegg went off to Hollywood to do well in supporting character roles in the likes of the Star Trek and Mission: Impossible franchises, his solo headlining career – Run Fat Boy Run, How To Lose Friends & Alienate People, A Fantastic Fear Of Everything – has left a lot to be desired. Then along comes Frost with his first leading man role, and while not exactly blowing Pegg’s career out of the water, certainly shows him how it should be done.

Bruce (Frost) was a teenage salsa dancing prodigy until he gets bullied into thinking it’s uncool, and gives it up for life. Fast forward 25 years, and grown-up Bruce is vaguely unhappy with his dull job and what might be considered his best friend, Drew (O’Dowd), is also a massive rhymes-with-mickhead. Then a new boss, Julie (Jones), appears on the scene, and it turns out she’s a big salsa fan herself, which reignites Bruce’s passion for it, and he seeks out his former dancing coach (McShane), to brush up on his moves to win over the potential love of his life.

You can probably guess how the rest of the movie pans out, as there isn’t a single original thought or shocking turn of events over the film’s entire running time. O’Dowd really lays it on thick as the bad guy, Jones is fine-but-forgettable as the underwritten love interest, McShane has played this role before in Hot Rod and Death Race, and the whole thing is the movie equivalent of easy listening.

Yet you can’t help but enjoy yourself because the movie – just like we imagine Frost would – gives you one big, warm, cuddly hug for an hour and a half. He’s such a likeable leading man, with genuine moments of ingenious comedic delivery, and with even more sterling support from Olivia Colman (as Bruce’s sister) and Kayvan Novak (as a fabulous fellow dance student), you’ll find yourself LOL’ing every few minutes. Plus, it totally makes you want to go salsa dancing!