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From the Loch Ness Monster to Bigfoot, people are constantly searching for answers to the unknown—for proof that these magical creatures are just a myth…or that they really do exist. And the quirky mystery Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose explores the story of another mysterious creature—and one man’s quest to prove that it doesn’t exist.
Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose follows famed parapsychologist and notorious skeptic Dr. Nandor Fodor (Simon Pegg) as he travels to the Isle of Man in 1937 to investigate a series of strange events. The Irving family claims that they have a magical talking mongoose named Gef living on their farm—and they’ve documented a journal full of miraculous events involving the magical creatures. So, with his assistant, Anne (Minnie Driver), at his side, Dr. Fodor sets out to prove that Gef (who, incidentally, is eerily voiced by Neil Gaiman) is a hoax—and that the townspeople are just crazy.
As this world-weary doctor sets out to debunk the stories about this mystical mammal, the film gives the whole situation an air of ambiguity, allowing viewers to draw their own conclusions about this real-life mystery. There are plenty of arguments to support either side—from possible sightings and the locals’ rather haunting tales to the fact that the Irvings’ daughter (Jessica Balmer) is quite an accomplished ventriloquist. Nothing here is simple or straightforward—so if you’re intrigued by the search for creatures like Nessie, you’ll enjoy this exploration into the unknown, too.
Meanwhile, the cast is definitely filled with quirky characters—from the eccentric Irvings, all of whom seem so eager yet so odd, to their farm hand, Errol (Gary Beadle), who’s perfectly content to play along with what he admits is probably just a bunch of nonsense. And, of course, there’s Pegg’s egotistical yet uncertain Dr. Fodor, who’s on his own lifelong search for answers.
Admittedly, though, this film isn’t nearly as comical as you’d expect from movie about a strangely philosophical talking animal that features Simon Pegg and Christopher Lloyd. It’s certainly intriguing and mysterious, but the humor is quite dark—not the madcap adventure that viewers might be looking for.
With its lovably eccentric cast of characters and their maybe-true tale of a magical mongoose, Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose is certainly an oddly intriguing mystery—but it’s more bizarre than it is wildly entertaining.
You can join the case with Dr. Fodor when Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose arrives in select theaters on September 1, 2023—or watch in on demand starting on September 19th.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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