EATEN BY LIONS

When Pete and Omar lose their beloved Gran, they go in search of Omar’s estranged father, confronting him on the day of his daughter’s engagement party

A review by Tanya Howard

Omar and Pete are half brothers. When their parents are eaten by lions they embark on a journey to find Omar’s real father. What follows is a funny, heart-warming journey of self-discovery for both boys…in Blackpool. The Choudray family represents a truly contemporary example of modern multicultural Britain – but what will the brothers make of their eccentric newfound family? Will they be going to Mecca or Mecca bingo?

Eaten By Lions, written and directed by Jason Wingard, focuses on the relationship between the two half-brothers. Omar, of Indian decent, and Pete who is disabled and requires a walking frame, but is also a shoplifter, a liar and happy to exploit anyone, are teenagers when their Gran passes away. Played by Antonio Aakeel and Jack Carroll, they both take on their characters and fly with them but it’s their fraternal relationship that carries the film. Their chemistry, and mutually antagonistic and loving banter is quite captivating, and I felt myself getting attached to the characters.

After losing Gran they are sent to live with Pete’s aunt and uncle, which is where Wingard begins to showcase different British racial attitudes. Ken and Ellen represent a middle-class British couple who are protective and loving towards Pete and come across as selfless for also taking in Omar, but behind closed doors he is given the cold shoulder and blamed for all of Pete’s shortcomings. Ellen refers to Omar’s Muslim family as “you people” and “your sort” and whilst we have moved forward in the world there are still people out there that behave like this.

Sick of being treated poorly, not similar to the relationship between Harry Potter and the Dursleys, Omar decides to go in search of his father, a man he finds out lives in Blackpool and is called Malik from a box of memories of his Mum’s that he found at his Gran’s old flat. Pete doesn’t want to be left behind and Omar allows him to come with but on the provision that he doesn’t steal anything whilst there.

In Blackpool Omar and Pete manage to lose their luggage but after meeting Amy, Omar’s love interest in the film, she sets them up at her uncle Ray’s B&B. Played by Sarah Hoare and Johnny Vegas, in a creepy long wig, Sarah is vivacious and full of life in her portrayal of Amy who is just a stranger who did a good deed but becomes a strong structure of support for Omar. Johnny Vegas is of course hilarious as Ray, but I’ve always loved Johnny Vegas as an actor and comedian.

Omar find Malik’s house and happens to turn up on the day of his daughter’s engagement and the family insist he stay and tell them who he is. After Malik’s strong denial of being Omar’s father he reads out the letters left behind by his Mum and it turns out that his Father is actually Malik’s brother Irfan, who it turns out gave her his brother’s name. Irfan is an irresponsible man child who runs a gift shop, he is spoilt, childlike, self-indulgent and selfish, but as the film goes on, we can see that he is also painfully aware of his own shortcomings.

Alongside Johnny Vegas the film has a really strong cast, with a lot of comedic and British royalty. Nitin Ganatra plays Malik and Hayley Tamaddon plays Malik’s wife Sara, Hayley is currently on the West End playing the teacher in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. Asim Chaudhry plays Irfan, and you may recognise him from the sixth series of the hilarious game show Taskmaster.

Without spoiling the story for you, this film does have a happy ending but it’s not quite the easy-going classic son meets father story. I wouldn’t say there were bumps along the way, more like crater sized holes to navigate around. Keep an eye out for quiet and reserved cousin Parveen who takes a liking to Pete and he soon realises she’s not all she seems and he may have just met his match.

Eaten By Lions is a story of family, romance, regret, grief, ignorance and race; a complex tale that covers a lot of hard hitting issues and emotions but under the guise of comedy. The writer and the cast manage to portray this all with just the right balance of hilarity and serious tones when needed. Grab you’re a stick of rock, get comfy and give Eaten By Lions a go, I for one really fancied booking a trip to Blackpool after watching the film.

EATEN BY LIONS will be released in UK cinemas on 29th March