Cert 15
99 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language
Four high-profile people came out of the General Election worse than anybody else.
Three - Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage paid with their jobs. The other was Russell Brand.
I have never been a fan of Brand's humour and what had appeared to be his arrogance but my view of him changed after an interview with Jeremy Paxman.
During this exchange, he gave an erudite explanation of why the best form of dissent against the inequalities in society was not to take part in establishment rituals such as elections.
His stance became something of a cause celebre.
And then he backtracked... and came out in support of Labour, days before the poll on May 7.
I should have guessed what was coming when I saw Michael Winterbottom's movie, The Emeperor's New Clothes.
This is a documentary in which Brand tries, Michael Moore-style, to show how the rich are getting richer and care nothing about the poor who are getting poorer.
He analyses what he sees as a disintegration of British society by returning to his home town of Grays in Essex and compares it to a more prosperous past.
He then begins a verbal assault on bankers and the rich, turning up at their offices and homes, demanding interviews which he knows he isn't going to be granted.
It would be impossible to argue with many of his assertions, particularly the ones which surround the bankers culpability for the state of the nation's finances and the lack of prosecutions in their sector.
But the film jars because Brand is rich. He speaks with a mock Cockney accent in the way that Nigel Kennedy used to years ago. It doesn't make him sound cool but a little bit ridiculous.
But here's the real rub. Russell Brand has nearly 10 million followers on social media.
For months he has been telling them not to vote and, presumably, had convinced many.
It is not a big leap to presume that these would have been potential Labour voters and, unless they did a similar vault-face to Brand, they became lost to Labour on election day.
Might Brand, therefore, have played a part in a Conservative government being returned?
If it should be argued that the Tory-backed newspapers had an impact why wouldn't someone with as loud a voice as Russell Brand?
The difference is that they are consistent with their message and he just confused people.
Director Michael Winterbottom: " I hope people who watch the film are made angry. I think it’s about seeing it fresh. There’s nothing sparkling new in the film. It’s just reminding people to see it in a fresh way and that actually, this is shocking."
Reasons to watch: If you enjoy Russell Brand's humour and politics
Reasons to avoid: If you think he has just made a prize Charlie of himself.
Laughs: two
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 4/10