Those looking for a whimsical British comedy will not find it here. Instead, "Faintheart" takes the kitchen-sink approach to a tale about a middle-aged man who can't get over his obsession with childish things. These include his bedraggled early 1970s appearance, his ancient decal-covered VW bus and his passion for playing a Viking in a series of battle reenactments with his similarly socially retarded buddies. Along the way, he loses his wife and child over his childish behavior. The plot has him slowly deciding to grow up and win back his love and young son, who is greatly embarrassed by his Peter Pan-like dad. Nothing all that special here, but worth a look. The ending is clumsily handled, but in truth it fits with this neo-realist fantasy. Oddly enough, the son is the spitting image of a young Jodie Foster. He's also the best actor in what was his very first movie.

I don't know how I didn't see this a decade ago. It's just brilliant lot of fun. Sure it has a rather predictable plot but that's just a romantic comedy thing. The twist is the choice to be a Viking role player is what causes the trouble.

Definitely fun to watch. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

Richard is a DIY store employee whose leisure life centres on Viking battle re-enactment. He embarrasses his son Martin, and his wife Cath has got fed up: Richard has moved out into fellow re-enactor and nerd Julian's home (where he lives with his mother),and Cath has moved Martin's PE teacher in. Richard loves Cath and wants to win her back, but is he too much of a loser.

This mildly original but fairly predictable romcom succeeds, largely because of winning performances from Eddie Marsan, Jessica Hynes and Ewan Bremner as Richard, Cath and Julian.

Much of the humour will appeal to nerds (there is a debate over who would be the better girlfriend, She-Hulk or Wonder Woman),and the central characters are all likeable. The location work in and around Ludlow is attractive, and the movie is a gentle and very British effort.

With extras and crew recruited from Myspace, it is bewildering to note that this enjoyable movie didn't get a general cinema release in Britain.