New Movies: The Trouble with Jessica (2023) by Matt Winn

"The Trouble with Jessica (2023)": A Darkly Comic Corpse Conundrum

Description: "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)," directed by Matt Winn, is a British satirical dark comedy that delves into the moral dilemmas faced by a London couple on the brink of a crucial house sale. Their plans are thrown into disarray when an uninvited friend tragically dies in their garden, leading to a farcical and increasingly tense effort to conceal the body.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15507128/

Link Review: https://filmthreat.com/reviews/the-trouble-with-jessica/

About movie: https://www.musicboxfilms.com/film/the-trouble-with-jessica/

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-trouble-with-jessica (US), https://www.justwatch.com/au/movie/the-trouble-with-jessica (Australia), https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/the-trouble-with-jessica (UK), https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/the-trouble-with-jessica (France), https://www.justwatch.com/es/pelicula/the-trouble-with-jessica (Spain), https://www.justwatch.com/de/Film/The-Trouble-with-Jessica (Germany)

Detailed Summary: The film centers on Sarah and Tom, a seemingly successful London professional couple who are facing severe financial difficulties. Their last hope lies in selling their stylish London home, and they've just secured a buyer. However, their meticulously planned final dinner party with their best friends, Richard and Beth, takes a horrifying turn when an uninvited old friend, Jessica, tags along. Jessica, a sharp-tongued and manipulative character, proceeds to verbally dismantle her friends, exposing their hypocrisies and long-held grievances. In a shocking twist, Jessica goes out into the garden and commits suicide.

Panicked by the potential collapse of their house sale if the suicide is discovered on their property, Sarah and Tom convince Richard and Beth to help them relocate Jessica's body. What follows is a dark farce as the two couples desperately try to move the corpse, encountering unexpected visitors, nosy neighbors, and bungling police officers. The film explores how quickly the veneer of middle-class politeness can crack under pressure, revealing the characters' ruthless selfishness and willingness to compromise their morals to protect their financial future. A blueberry clafoutis dessert also plays a surprisingly significant and recurring role in the unfolding chaos.

Plot Summary:

• Sarah and Tom, a financially struggling London couple, are about to sell their house.

• During a dinner party, an uninvited friend, Jessica, confronts them with their flaws.

• Jessica then commits suicide in their garden.

• Fearing the house sale will fall through, Sarah and Tom convince their friends Richard and Beth to help move the body.

• A farcical and tense night ensues as they try to hide the corpse from unexpected visitors and the police.

• The film explores their moral compromises and the breakdown of their friendships.

The plot is a black comedy centered on a dead body that characters attempt to conceal to protect their financial interests.

Director's Vision: Matt Winn directed and co-wrote "The Trouble with Jessica" with James Handel. His vision for the film was to create a darkly comic satire, drawing comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock's "The Trouble with Harry" due to the central premise of an inconvenient dead body. Winn aims to expose the hypocrisy and self-interest lurking beneath the surface of seemingly respectable middle-class friendships when confronted with an extreme moral dilemma. The film is designed to be a tightly constructed farce with unexpected twists and a heightened tone, using sharp dialogue and situational humor to drive the plot. Winn also composed the film's music, which some critics noted as overtly guiding the audience's emotional response.

Themes:

• Middle-Class Hypocrisy: The film satirizes the lengths to which seemingly respectable people will go to maintain their facade and financial security.

• Moral Compromise: The central dilemma forces the characters to make increasingly unethical choices.

• Friendship Under Duress: The crisis exposes the fragility and resentments within long-standing friendships.

• Black Comedy/Dark Satire: Humor is derived from grim situations and the characters' amoral actions.

• The Inconvenient Truth: Jessica's death and her earlier brutal honesty force the characters to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves.

• Materialism vs. Morality: The financial stakes of the house sale directly conflict with the characters' consciences.

Key Success Factors:

• Sharp, Darkly Comic Premise: The core concept is inherently amusing and intriguing.

• Ensemble Cast: Features well-known British and American actors (Shirley Henderson, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, Indira Varma) who are adept at both comedy and drama.

• Tight Screenplay: The script is noted for its construction, with unexpected visitors adding to the farcical tension.

• Satirical Edge: The film aims to be more than just a comedy, offering commentary on societal norms.

• Festival Recognition: Winning awards at the Dinard British Film Festival indicates critical and audience appreciation.

Summary Short: Matt Winn's "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)" is a British dark comedy where a London couple, on the verge of selling their house, desperately try to hide a friend's suicide in their garden with the help of another couple. Starring Shirley Henderson, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, and Indira Varma, it premiered in 2023 and received critical attention for its satirical take on middle-class hypocrisy, winning the Audience Award and Special Jury Prize at the Dinard British Film Festival.

Awards and Nominations: "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)" has received notable recognition at film festivals:

• Dinard British Film Festival (2023):

  • Winner: Audience Award (Best Film) - Matt Winn

  • Winner: Special Jury Prize (Best Film) - Matt Winn

• BAFTA Awards, Scotland (2024):

  • Nominee: Best Actress - Film - Shirley Henderson

Critics Reception: Critical reception for "The Trouble with Jessica" has been mixed to positive, with praise for its dark humor and the ensemble cast, but some critiques regarding its consistency in tone and impact.

• RogerEbert.com (Chaz's review): Notes the film's resemblance to Hitchcock's "The Trouble with Harry" and praises its "darkly humorous, sometimes lacerating" tone. It highlights how the dire circumstances expose the "hypocrisy, cluelessness, and willingness to jettison morality" of the wealthy characters. The script is called "tightly constructed" and the performances are noted for their willingness to be ruthless.

• BFI Player: Describes it as a "highly entertaining and darkly comic satire, with brilliant performances from the terrific ensemble cast, in particular Shirley Henderson as the shrewd and savage Sarah."

• InSession Film: Offers a more critical take, finding the film "irritatingly unfunny" and that the satire is "almost non-existent." This review specifically criticizes the inconsistent tone, the music, and the performances of some of the lead actors, feeling that only Rufus Sewell fully grasped the intended tone.

• IMDb: Holds a user rating of 6.2/10, suggesting a generally favorable but not overwhelmingly positive reception from the audience.

Overall Critics Reception: The film is generally seen as a watchable dark comedy that delivers on its premise, particularly for those who appreciate its specific brand of satire. However, some critics found its execution inconsistent, particularly in maintaining its comedic and satirical edge throughout.

Reviews: Reviews emphasize the film's core concept and the performances of its ensemble cast, particularly Shirley Henderson and Rufus Sewell. The "blueberry clafoutis" is often mentioned as a memorable recurring gag. While some found the satire sharp and the humor effective, others felt the film didn't fully realize its potential as a wicked farce or a profound commentary on middle-class hypocrisy. The film's pacing and narrative twists generally keep the audience engaged, even if the emotional depth or satirical bite varies.

Production: "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)" is a British production. It was directed by Matt Winn, who also co-wrote the screenplay with James Handel. The film was produced by Sarah Sulick for Relevate Ventures, Yes Repeat No, and Bright Pictures. Jeremy Campbell was a co-producer. The ensemble cast includes Shirley Henderson as Sarah, Alan Tudyk as Tom, Rufus Sewell as Richard, Olivia Williams as Beth, and Indira Varma as Jessica. Other cast members include Sylvester Groth and Anne Reid. Matt Winn also composed the music for the film alongside Matt Cooper. The film has a runtime of 89 minutes.

Production Companies:

• Relevate Ventures

• Yes Repeat No

• Bright Pictures

Distribution Companies:

• United Kingdom: The film was available to rent via BFI Player.

• United States: Music Box Films released the film on VOD and digital platforms on May 20, 2025, and in US theaters on April 25, 2025.

Release Date on Streaming:

• United States: The film became available on VOD and digital platforms on May 20, 2025.

Theatrical Release: "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)" had its UK Premiere in 2023 (specific date not detailed in the provided snippets, but it screened at festivals in 2023). It officially launched in US theaters on April 25, 2025. It also screened at several film festivals, including its World Premiere at the 2023 Dinard Film Festival.

Why to Recommend This Movie:

• Darkly Humorous Premise: If you enjoy black comedies that push boundaries and explore moral grey areas.

• Strong Ensemble Cast: Features talented actors delivering performances in a challenging comedic setting.

• Satirical Look at Society: Offers a sharp, albeit sometimes inconsistent, critique of middle-class values and hypocrisy.

• Intriguing Plot: The escalating complications of hiding a body provide constant tension and unexpected twists.

• Award-Winning Festival Film: Recognized at the Dinard British Film Festival, indicating its artistic merit and audience appeal.

Why to Watch Movie:

• If You're a Fan of Dark Comedy: Enjoy a film that finds humor in grim and ethically questionable situations.

• Interested in British Independent Cinema: Discover a film with a distinct UK sensibility and style.

• For Fans of the Cast: See Shirley Henderson, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, and Indira Varma in a unique comedic role.

• Curious About Films That Explore Moral Dilemmas: Watch characters grapple with tough choices under pressure.

• If You Enjoy Films with a Satirical Edge: Appreciate a movie that pokes fun at societal pretenses.

What Movie Trend film is Following: Dark Comedies / Ensemble Cast Comedies / Social Satire: The film fits within the trend of dark comedies that derive humor from uncomfortable or morally ambiguous situations. It's also an ensemble piece where the comedic and dramatic interplay between characters is central. Its satirical elements align with films that critique societal norms, particularly those concerning the upper-middle class.

What Big Social Trend is Following: Critique of Wealth and Privilege / Exposure of Hypocrisy: The film taps into a broader social trend of questioning and satirizing the behavior of the wealthy and privileged, exposing the hypocrisy that can arise when their comfortable lives are threatened. This aligns with a popular "eat the rich" subgenre in recent cinema that uses extreme situations to reveal character flaws driven by self-interest.

Final Verdict: "The Trouble with Jessica (2023)," directed by Matt Winn, is a spirited and often hilarious British dark comedy that takes a familiar premise – an inconvenient corpse – and infuses it with sharp satire and escalating absurdity. While some critics found its tone occasionally inconsistent, the film largely succeeds thanks to its tightly constructed screenplay, which keeps the characters in a constant state of panic and moral compromise, and the committed performances of its excellent ensemble cast, particularly Shirley Henderson and Rufus Sewell. The film offers a biting commentary on middle-class hypocrisy and the lengths to which people will go to protect their image and financial stability. Its wins at the Dinard British Film Festival underscore its appeal as a clever and entertaining independent feature. For those who appreciate their comedy with a substantial dose of moral ambiguity and a cynical look at human nature, "The Trouble with Jessica" is a deliciously wicked treat.

Recommendations for Film Makers:

• Embrace the Absurd in Dark Comedy: The film demonstrates how pushing situations to their illogical extremes can generate significant humor.

• Utilize an Ensemble Cast Effectively: Allowing each character to have distinct flaws and contribute to the chaos enriches the narrative.

• Structure Narratives with Escalating Complications: Keeping the pressure on the characters with new obstacles can maintain tension and comedic timing.

• Explore Moral Dilemmas with a Satirical Lens: Using humor to critique societal values can be a powerful tool for commentary.

Recommendations for Movie Industry:

• Support Independent Dark Comedies: Recognize the artistic and commercial potential of films that aren't afraid to tackle grim subjects with humor.

• Invest in Strong Ensemble Casts: The film's appeal is significantly boosted by its roster of talented actors.

• Promote Films that Offer Social Commentary: Encourage productions that use entertainment to spark reflection on societal norms and behaviors.

• Value Festival Recognition: Use film festival awards and selections as indicators of quality and potential audience interest, especially for independent titles.