The elves went too far!The Gist: Icelandic fisherman Lars Erickssong (Will Ferrall) has nursed a dream of representing his country in the Eurovision Song Contest since childhood, when he witnessed ABBA's revelatory performance of Waterloo. With lifelong friend Sigrid (Rachel McAdams) he plays village pub gigs in Eurovision covers-band Fire Saga, their own neighbours threatening to boo them offstage, if they perform their own songs rather than Contest classic Ja Ja Ding Dong. Then several combined flukes of fate puts Lars' dream within reach, pitching him and Sigrid into the madness of Eurovision. Once there it's their proclivity for onstage disaster as much as ambitious fellow-contestants that threatens both their friendship and their shot at the big glittery prize. The Juice: The Story of Fire Saga will probably play best to those who already know and love (in however ironic a sense) the real Eurovision Song Contest. Here in the UK it's been an annual TV event from way before I was born - ridiculed for years, before ultimately being embraced as a warm-hearted festival of kitsch. Will Ferrell treats it as such, having been introduced to the glitzy wonders of Eurovision through his Swedish wife and in-laws. As a result this is a celebration of a phenomenon way beyond satire, the movie's outlandish musical numbers only marginally more absurd than those of the actual competition. In many senses this is as nuts-and-bolts a Will Ferrell comedy as you could get. Like Blades of Glory it's the story of a driven but disaster-prone dreamer repeatedly collaspsing on his face while striving for unlikely success. And Lars is the clumsy man-child we saw as far back as Elf and numerous times since. It's also got that tendency to ramble on too long in between its very recognisable plot beats.
What will likely keep you engaged is the film's sheer good nature and the affection is has for Eurovision's crazy brand of camp. Ferrell is never a chore to watch (2018's misguided Sherlock Holmes a best-forgotten exception), while McAdams is massively endearing as Sigrid - the wide-eyed innocent who still believes in the elves native to her country, while nursing a deep-seated but unrequited love for her best friend. She can hold a decent tune as well, even if supported digitally on the high notes by vocalist Molly Sanden. In fact the musical numbers are all well-crafted Eurovision-style pop-rock and they're delivered in appropriately over-the-top style - never more so than by the multiple scene-grabbing Dan Stevens as swaggering Russian chanteur Alexander Lemtov. But just possibly my favourite bits are those shot on location in Iceland, the brightly authentic folk setting a visually gorgeous counterpart to Eurovision's glitzy excesses.
(Your actual elfish dwellings)
The Judgement: 6.5/10. In terms of narrative structure - yes, you've seen it all before and had it told in a more focused manner. But in terms of heart and good-humour there's lots to enjoy in a comedy that lauds the Song Contest's earnestness and inclusivity, even while making gentle fun of it. If you're Eurovision-agnostic (or just plain Eurovision-clueless), it might well leave you scratching your head. If you're an aficionado of the actual Contest, however, you'll get it - and it'll put a big grin all over your face. In a year where Covid 19 did for the real thing, Fire Saga and their competitors aren't a bad substitute.
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