3454. People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan (2021)

Starring: Allan Mustafa, Hugo Chegwin, Asim Chaudry

Director: Jack Clough

Running Time: 97 mins

People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan is a British film about former pirate radio station hosts Kurupt FM, whose original music is picked up on a Japanese gameshow, leading to the band travelling to Japan to make a name for themselves.

I had an absolute whale of a time with this movie. Having seen but not particularly loved the show, I expected People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan to be much of the same, but I am delighted to have been proven wrong.

Fast-paced, sharp and full of laughs from the very beginning to the very end, this is a properly hilarious movie that had me in stitches time and time again. It’s a simple story with a predictable arc, but the hilarity and chaos within make it an absolute joy to watch.

Let’s start with the fact that, even if you’ve never watched the People Just Do Nothing show on TV, you’re more than likely to have a good time with this movie. The film swiftly introduces you to the characters and their back stories before they go off on their voyage to Japan, leaving as much time as possible for laughs and comedy.

Running for a short and sweet 97 minutes, it’s quite remarkable how chock-full of laughs this movie is, with numerous jokes flying out of the screenplay every minute, along with a collection of great running gags that make for more laughs on top of it all.

On the whole, the film is a very simple, easy-going affair. Its plot is a predictable look into the A Star Is Born story of fame, and it’s in no way meant to be a culturally immersive view of Japan. That said, the film’s simplicity and the fact that it never takes itself too seriously is the biggest part of its charm, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the all of the silliness that unfolds.

But it’s not just lazy, one-dimensional humour, as Big In Japan manages to craft a sharp and zippy atmosphere through its use of brilliant one-liners and ingeniously crafted comedic scenarios, bolstered by its relentlessly fast pace that makes the movie absolutely fly by.

Overall, then, People Just Do Nothing: Big In Japan is one of the most pleasant surprises I’ve had in a long time. While it may not offer much in terms of a riveting story, this is one of the funniest movies of the year, with joke after joke after joke after joke landing brilliantly, and delivering fast-paced, sharp laughs from start to finish. So, that’s why I’m giving it a 7.8.