The Look of Love

Based on the true story of Paul Raymond, Steve Coogan dumps the funny here to play the Soho impresario who opened strip clubs and launched 'men's magazines' in London's swinging sixties. Michael Winterbottom's (who caught Coogan in fine form in 24 Hour Party People and A Cock And Bull Story) film documents Raymond's rise, his open marriage to Anna Friel, his subsequent affair with Tamsin Egerton, and his longest relationship - the one with Debbie (Poots), his daughter who followed him into the business.

The Look Of Love is messy. Hired for, we can only assume, his work on other biopics Nowhere Boy and Control, Matt Greenlaugh's script is stuck on fast forward as Winterbottom races far too quickly through the story for any dramatic moment to register; characters marry, fall ill, have children, walk out. With big scenes all served up with the same tone as the smaller ones, the film has no emotional peaks. Maybe this reflects Raymond's attitude to everyone around him but it's difficult to get involved with a character who doesn't get involved himself.

This is The People Vs. Larry Flint meets Mrs. Henderson Presents, but where Milos Forman's film explored the fine line of art and pornography and Stephen Frears's movie aimed for the laughs, The Look Of Love doesn't do either. The male double standard that they'd never allow their daughters pose nude is brought up, however it soon loses interest and moves on to dip a toe into the 'what's porn?' debate. The outcome of that isn't clear either.

The Look Of Love may have a life story but it has no plot. Spending so much time with Raymond and his quest to become the king of the famously seedy London district, the arrival of Imogen Poots as his daughter finally stirs something towards a decent narrative but it's too little too late. She's basically another character, like Chris Addison's entertaining magazine editor, that orbits Raymond without engaging him. Matt Lucas (as Divine), David Walliams (as a vicar) and The Inbetweeners's Simon Bird (unrecognisable under a silly beard and wig) are just some of the pointless cameos that turn up.

Coogan's tendency to fall back into Alan Partridge territory for a giggle shows that he has never escaped the shadow of Norwich's favourite DJ. The Partridge movie, Alpha Papa, better hurry up then.