Deep Cover (2025)

Plot Summary: An improv comedy teacher (Bryce Dallas Howard) and two of her students (Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) are recruited by a corrupt cop (Sean Bean) to go undercover. They infiltrate London's criminal world, using their acting skills to catch a gang, only to find themselves deeper in danger and needing to improvise their way out.

Director: Tom Kingsley
Screenplay: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen
Producers: Colin Trevorrow, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald
Music: Daniel Pemberton
Cinematography: Will Hanke

Starring:
Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat Boyles
Orlando Bloom as Marlon Swift
Nick Mohammed as Hugh
Sean Bean as DS Graham Billings
Paddy Considine as Fly
Ian McShane as Metcalfe
Sonoya Mizuno as Shosh

Studio / Distributor: Metronome Film Company, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation / Amazon Prime Video
Runtime: 100 minutes
Release: Worldwide on Prime Video, June 12, 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English

 

***SPOILER ALERT***

Blooming Feelings

Keeping up with our Sunday afternoon dedicated to movies, we picked another fresh release from a batch of ten. This time, we went with Deep Cover because of Orlando Bloom being in it. We were just commenting on how age is catching up with all these actors we grew up watching. Funny thing is, I never liked Orlando Bloom that much, but seeing him a little older made me feel this weird sympathy. In the end, I loved his role. He totally steals the show as Roach. A lot of his scenes were just hilariously funny. It's kind of strange how we grow older and start forming this weird familiar feeling with actors, like they’ve become part of our timeline. With that good vibe in mind, I genuinely wish a long life to every actor in this movie.

Clever, Silly and Fun

I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s a really clever movie with some unexpected twists — but make no mistake, it’s also totally silly in the best way. Nick Mohammed had me rolling with his awkward character and complete lack of soft skills. The mini market scene? I was crying. And I found it hilarious how fast things escalated with their undercover operation. Bryce Dallas Howard is also great here, bringing in a more grounded character with real midlife issues, but also sneaking in comedy whenever it’s needed. The movie keeps a great pace, it never drags. The villain, played by Ian McShane, is also brilliant and genuinely creepy. The fake teeth and that Jenga metaphor for his criminal empire? Unforgettable. Even the random police duo sprinkled throughout had their moments.

Strong Finish and Stronger Characters

The more I think about this movie, the more I like it. It’s a great mix of crime, action and comedy, with characters you end up caring about more than you expected. The music isn’t exactly memorable, but it works — especially that Tom Jones song during the montage where everything is happening at once. There are some seriously intense suspense moments too. In one scene, I couldn’t imagine a way out for the main characters, but the writers pulled it off with believable (and satisfying) solutions. Also, the character of Fly, played by Paddy Considine, goes through such a good arc. He starts off pretty sketchy and ends up winning the audience over completely. Major credit to the writers for that. This movie is great, and I really recommend it; it's fantastic work from Tom Kingsley, this not-so-well-known director. If you’re in a good mood and want a crime comedy sprinkled with action and a little awkward romance, chaos, and just enough depth to make it stick, Deep Cover is a great pick.

🎥 Cinematography (7/10):

Nothing groundbreaking, but solid framing and some well-timed comedic visuals.

📖 Story (8/10):

I enjoyed the plot twists and undercover chaos. Silly, yes—but smart silly.

🎬 Direction (9/10):

Well-paced and balanced. The director kept things moving and the tone consistent.

👥 Characters (9/10):

I clearly loved them all. Roach was a standout, the villain was creepy-fun, and Fly grew on you.

💥 Visual Effects (7/10):

Just fine. Not that important.

🎭 Acting (8/10):

Strong performances all around. I bet every actor had a lof of fun making this picture.

💬 Dialogue (8/10):

I had plenty of ROFL moments, especially during the mini market scene. "I'm sorry, Kat!" I still crack up thinking about that little guy immediately blowing their improv cover and then escalating everything to the max.

🌍 Setting/Atmosphere (7/10):

Nothing too flashy, but the underworld criminal settings felt lively and believable.

🎵 Music (6/10):

It was ok, could have used some memorable tunes to bring more style to it.

😄 Entertainment Value (9/10):

I had a blast. From laughing to getting pulled into suspense, it checked all the boxes.