Le Donk & Scor Zay Zee Film Review

Le Donk & Scor Zay Zee sees highly respected director/actor team Shane Meadows and Paddy Considine reunited for the first time since 2004's Dead Man's Shoes. The film's small budget of £50,000 was mainly funded by Warp Films, the company who released Dead Man's Shoes as well as the Chris Morris short My Wrongs #8245-8249 & 117, that also starred Considine.

The plot revolves around Considine's bungling roadie, Le Donk, as he attempts to showcase rapper Scor Zay Zee to 50,000 fans at an Arctic Monkeys gig in Manchester. Shot and presented as an actual documentary, in which the film-makers are regularly shown onscreen, the film engages the audience from the offset whilst at times invoking memories of This is Spinal Tap and The Office. The documentary editing process is commented on by Le Donk early on as he pleads with Meadows to present an accurate portrayal of him, not just the angry side. Meadows later falls out with Le Donk over hotel arrangements and his drunken behaviour. These exchanges between the director and his subject not only put cracks in the fourth wall, they also lend the film an authenticity that will make the audience forget Le Donk is a fictitious entity and that the two are old friends. This is a testament to the innate talents of both individuals, especially as Meadows, who is known to advocate improvisation, didn't write a script and allowed all the actors' dialogue to flow naturally. So naturally, in fact, that there weren't even any rehearsals or re-shoots for any of the film's scenes.

Quick to offset comparisons to Steve Coogan's character Saxondale, both Meadows and Considine have stated Le Donk has been in Considine's repertoire for around a decade. Indeed, several of Meadows' shorts refer to Le Donk in their titles. Scor Zay Zee, however, is the pseudonym of genuine Nottingham rap artist Dean Palinczuk, who courted both controversy and acclaim when his track 'Great Britain' was released in 2004. The film contains genuine laughs resulting from Le Donk's onscreen shenanigans and choice dialogue, which often result in scenes of exquisite comedic discomfort. The veteran roadie is humanised, however, by his relationship with former partner Olivia, played tenderly by Peep Show's Olivia Colman, in which the audience learns details about the character's past and his fear of responsibility. Scor Zay Zee is perfectly cast as Le Donk's skilled yet sympathetic sidekick; unassuming and quiet when offstage, sometimes just seeing his expression raises a chuckle, whilst the scenes of him attempting to find a power outlet for his keyboard are unforgettable.

The film is especially praiseworthy given its production background as it's doubtful many other directors would be able to shoot such an original and engaging film over just five days on a similar budget. Le Donk & Scor Zay Zee is an innovative, hilarious and warm film that stands out not only amongst nearly every other contemporary cinematic release, but even amongst Meadows' other original work.

Trivia:

Le Donk also appears in Meadows' shorts Le Donk Episodic One Slap, Le Donk Episodic Two Slap and Le Donk Rat Attack.

Scor Zay Zee usually spells his name as one word, although he may change to the film's spelling given the exposure he'll receive.

Scor Zay Zee only auditioned for the part of one of Le Donk's lodgers, but ended up landing a lead role and driving the film's plot due to a combination of his non-reactiveness to Le Donk and his awesome rapping ability.

In Scor Zay Zee's room in Le Donk's house, there is a bookshelf containing Watch My Back written by Geoff Thompson. Thompson is a friend of Meadows and Considine acted in Thompson's 2002 BAFTA nominated short Bouncer alongside Ray Winstone.

There are several posters of boxers as well as a mention of Mike Tyson during the film. Both Meadows and Considine are both ardent boxing fans as well as trained pugilists.