By Dennis Hartley

“The Aristocrats!” Samuel Abrahams’ mockumentary (co-written by the director with Miranda Campbell Bowling) is the latest entry in that distinctively British sub-genre of cringe comedy seeded by the likes of Absolutely Fabulous, I’m Alan Partridge, and The Office.

Ambitious young documentary filmmaker Sam (Laurie Kyanston) is invited to meet with twitchy Lady Isabella (Sian Clifford) at her ostentatious (and curiously unkempt) country estate. After pompously claiming that she is “the aristocracy’s answer to the Kardashians”, she pitches her idea: a film that documents her creation of a multimedia project for an upcoming local youth talent show that happens to be hosted on the grounds of her estate every year.

Clearly, this woman is completely out of her mind; this should be Sam’s cue to politely bow out before getting in deeper. Judging from his facial expressions, Sam is thinking likewise. On the other hand, Sam is also thinking: this woman is completely out of her mind…what a great angle for a Netflix documentary (not to mention a chance to ridicule the ruling class). Twisty, over-the-top fun. Clifford is a riot.