Guy X (4/5)

Something of a ponderous anti-war oddity this, rather like Catch 22 were it set in an area without any enemy combatants. An administrative error sees Rudy Spruance (Jason Biggs) posted to a military Base in Greenland rather than Hawaii as planned. While this would seem fixable, the bizarre C.O. Lane Woolwrap is reluctant to believe he isn't the public relations chappie he was expecting and doesn't want that to get in the way of establishing the base's newspaper. Chronicling the anachronism of an armed force with no-one to fight, nothing to do and no company apart from snow for miles around, it takes a more meaningful turn for Rudy when he discovers the real function of this seemingly useless base and the secrets that surround it. Jason Biggs reminds us that he can in fact act, and be funny, after the blight on humanity that was the American Pie franchise, and there's perfectly serviceable turns from Natascha McElhone and Jeremy Northam, and a very good one from Michael Ironside. Not a great deal of quantifiable note occurs in Guy X, yet it exudes an easy-going charm and quirky likability that makes it an interesting little diversion.

Scott Morris