Nina Conti is a well-respected comedian. The British ventriloquist has toured the comedy circuits with various puppets and masks, with her most famous puppet being Monkey. If you’ve ever seen her perform live or on TV, you’ve probably seen Monkey, a key figure in her act for over 20 years. So, it only felt appropriate that Monkey would appear in her feature film Sunlight. However, this incarnation of Monkey is very different from what’s seen on stage. In this version, Monkey is not a hand puppet but a full-blown monkey suit.
The transition from hand puppet to suit is more than just a gimmick for quick laughs; it serves as a vehicle to tell an effective story. Sunlight follows Roy (Shenoah Allen) after an unsuccessful suicide attempt. He wakes up in his vehicle, being driven by a monkey (Nina Conti). Freaked out, he wants to know why this monkey is driving. During the road trip that follows, we learn that the person behind the suit is a woman named Jane, who is trying to escape an abusive relationship with her stepdad. The journey evolves from Roy and Monkey trying to get to the lake into a funny comedy involving a dead man’s watch.
Monkey and Roy’s relationship is the heart of this film. Seeing two dynamic people at their lowest points find connection, gradually become happier, and fall in love is a true highlight. Even beyond that, Monkey is just a great character. Monkey is a personality that Jane adopts when wearing the monkey suit, allowing her to become strong and escape her gruelling home life. I love the idea that the Monkey character is a way for Jane to overcome her past and trauma.
Even though the film tackles dark material, it is still funny. So many jokes had me laughing out loud. The opening shows Nina Conti in a monkey costume driving a vehicle, and as soon as she starts talking in the iconic Monkey voice, it’s utterly hilarious. There are also plenty of quips that caught me off guard and had me laughing out loud.
However, the film doesn’t quite hit perfection. What stands out the most is that the pacing sometimes feels off. At the start, the film is off to the races, and everything moves quickly. But once the initial setup is established, the film slows down and eventually finds its groove. However, the opening twenty minutes feel like they belong to a different film. Because of this, it took a bit too long for me to get fully invested in the themes and concepts that were unfolding.
Sunlight may deal with dark subject matter, but it tackles those issues effectively while also making you laugh along the way. When the credits rolled, I, too, was in love with the monkey, and even the smallest moments, like the monkey shouting “Roy,” are stuck in my head.
All I can say is, ‘A monkey on a pontoon with a banana boat—truly classic, and everyone needs it.’
★★★★
Out on Digital Download 28th November 2024 (UK) / Nina Conti, Shenoah Allen, Melissa Chambers, Bill Wise / Dir: Nina Conti / Vertigo Releasing / 15 / Original review link
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