Farce is such a fun storytelling style. It is fascinating to see all of the twists and turns that the characters engage in to try to solve what usually should be a straightforward problem, almost always with a blend of humor. In The Trouble with Jessica, coming to VOD on May 20, director Matt Winn brings us a new farce that explores the theme of trying to hold onto something that is slipping away with somewhat mixed results.

Tom (Alan Tudyk) and Sarah (Shirley Henderson) are hosting one last dinner party at their home, complete with Tom’s famous clafoutis dessert. The couple invited their friends Richard (Rufus Sewell) and Beth (Olivia Williams), but their eccentric author friend, Jessica (Indira Varma), forces her way into the dinner as well. Dinner is tense, but things really go sideways when, before the clafoutis is served, they find Jessica has committed suicide in Tom and Sarah’s garden. Events are further complicated when Tom and Sarah discover that the purchaser of their posh home would like to come by that night to sign the closing papers, they have to quickly decide how they want to move forward with Jessica’s body.

Tonally, The Trouble with Jessica is a little bit all over the place. There is, without question, a lot of humor in it as the group tries to figure out what to do with Jessica’s body. And the reveals of who has slept with whom add to the chaotic nature of the story. And the constant references to the clafoutis get funnier every time. But all of that is against the backdrop that someone took their own life, which casts a decidedly unfunny pallor over all of the other events.

The cast in the film is fantastic. The humor is incredibly droll with very few “jokes,” but they are able to pull it off remarkably well. They are also able to bounce back and forth with ease between some genuinely heartfelt scenes of grief and wacky humor. Watching how each person processes the death of their friend and what is revealed following her death is brilliantly acted. Sewell, in particular, gives a performance that feels both broad and nuanced. Anne Reid, as the nosy neighbor who just wants Jessica’s autograph, is absolutely hilarious.

Unfortunately, there is never quite enough time to sit with those character moments, and as such, The Trouble with Jessica never quite finds the way to make them sing. The film is a tight 89 minutes, but it could have stood just a bit more time with the leading quartet to allow us to see more of their response to the situation they are experiencing.

Nevertheless, the theme of testing your morals when your back is against the wall is well explored throughout the film and in different ways through the characters, making The Trouble with Jessica an overall enjoyable, if uneven, watch. At the very least, it may inspire you to make your own clafoutis.

Rating: 3/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on May 17, 2025.

Check out my interview with The Trouble with Jessica director, Matt Winn.