Cert 12A 115mins Stars 2

Steve Carell is at his most cloying in this misjudged real life fantasy drama which is sure to remain one of the most bizarre films of 2019. 

He stars as cross dressing artist, Mark Hogancamp, who’s suffering memory loss and emotional issues after a violent hate crime.

In his yard he’s built a miniature model Second World War-era Belgium town, called Marwen, which frequently becomes a fantasy retreat where he imagines himself alongside a quintet of glamorous gun toting resistance fighters taking on Nazis.

These animated Action Men and Barbie dolls are a cleverly designed blend of actors and CGI, however their strong sleazy portrayal rules this out as a kids entertainment.

Director Robert Zemeckis is responsible for creating this mawkish mix of mental illness, obsession, romance, bullet shredding action and witchcraft, and he can’t resist referencing his previous work, particularly the classic Back to the Future trilogy, a high point on his CV which seems ever further in the past.