In the Loop: Difference between revisions

As the movie is a spin-off set in the same universe as the series, the two share many tropes. Tropes that originated in the TV series may be better placed on the page for ''[[The Thick of It]]''.

 

* [[Angrish]]: Malcolm's gift for baroque swearing briefly deserts him in the Meditation Room.

* [[Antiquated Linguistics]]: This is how Malcolm sees the use of the word "purview" by Simon's aide, Judy Malloy:

* [[Compensating for Something]]: Toby makes some sniggering comments of this nature about the Washington Monument. Malcolm bluntly shuts him up by caustically remarking that the only way Toby is ever likely to get anything remotely similar to commemorate his life is if "you buy a fucking Toblerone."

* [[Compliment Backfire]]: "What am I? Tit meat?"

** "We've got to get hold of those minutes, I have to correct the record."

* [[Country Matters]]

** "I'm on the verge of taking a stand."

** Notably highlighted in a scene where Toby, Simon and Judy are on their way to the UN, and Simon is hesitantly floating the notion that maybe it would be much braver to change his publicly expressed views and come down in support the war. Both Simon and Toby pointedly ignore [[Only Sane Man|Judy]] when she bluntly points out that no, it wouldn't be.

* [[Downer Ending]]

* [[Eagle Land]]: Being an incredibly [[Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism|cynical]] film the US is portrayed as being closer to Flavor 2, complete with power-crazed warmongers and an overweight American tourist... but being a rather [[Self-Deprecation|self-loathing]] film, the Brits are portrayed as being no better.

* [[Heroic BSOD]]: Although not strictly a hero, as his career rapidly takes a dive-plunge straight down the crapper Simon Foster ends up in the U.N Mediation Room frantically eating mints, [[Thousand-Yard Stare|staring blankly into space]] and remarking that his internal thoughts seem to be an endless loop of him shouting "Oh, shit!" at himself in a distant voice "like a car alarm in the middle of the night".

* [[Homage Shot]]: "Don't raise your voice. This is a sacred place." Linton reminds Malcolm that you can't fight in here, this is the Meditation Room.

* [[Hypocritical Humor]]: At one point, Simon assures Malcolm that he didn't become a minister by screwing up every public appearance he makes; however, in pretty much every public or official appearance that we see him make he's inarticulate, incompetent and only manages to bollocks things up for himself and everyone.

** Paul Michaelson: "Am I calm? I'm fucking ZEN!"

** "He's wearing his push-up bra today!"

* [[Separated by a Common Language]]: The film gets in a reminder that [[Take That|no-one swears like the British]]:

'''Simon Foster''': "No, we don't call it that."}}

* [[Shown Their Work]]: [[Armando Iannucci]] ensured he could create a realistic portrayal of the US State Department [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5295148/Comedian-sneaks-into-US-State-department.html by illegally infiltrating it]. By using a fake BBC pass he was able to get past security and spend an hour inside taking photographs: "Part of me thought it was fun, another part thought it was probably international espionage."

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Films of the 2000s]]