It’s not often that I come across a new British crime comedy that I love. Aside from the work of Guy Ritchie and a few other scattered films, most of the ones I have sat down with since the early 2000s glut have left me cold. As a result, I practically jump for joy when I find a new one that strikes a chord in me. Kill Ben Lyk did just that.
The story is simple. Someone named Ben Lyk not only witnessed a mob hit in London but filmed it too. The doofus also happened to leave behind a gym membership card. Since they have little to go on and there are 11 different people by the name of Ben Lyk in the greater London area, the mob boss orders them all dead.
Once Scotland Yard catches onto what is happening, they round up the remaining Ben Lyks and place them all at a safe house on a country estate. What follows is a game of cat and mouse as the assassins close in and the collective Bens Lyk attempt to figure out why exactly all of this is happening. Hijinks ensue and bodies begin to quickly pile up, often in increasingly hysterical ways.
Simply put, while not perfect, this film is hilarious. British humor can often be an acquired taste, but this one plays things broad enough that it will have you chuckling throughout. The film has a whip-smart screenplay, deft comedic direction, and some fun turns from an incredibly game cast. Chief among them being Eugene Simon, Dimitri Leonidas, Simone Ashley, and James Chalmers.
Kill Ben Lyk doesn’t reinvent the Brit comedic crime thriller wheel, but it has a hell of a lot of fun with its characters and premise. How many Ben Lyks survive and what will be left of them? You’ll have to catch it yourself to find out. I recommend that you do.
