Stormy Weather: A messy, weird trip to Chinatown

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s British farce and don't mind a story that feels like it was written on the back of a cocktail napkin, sure, give it a go. It’s for the folks who like their comedies with a dash of grime and some very specific, stiff-upper-lip acting. If you hate movies where people constantly misunderstand each other in hallways, you’re going to be pulling your hair out by the thirty-minute mark.

There’s something inherently funny about watching Sir Duncan Craggs stumble through Chinatown. The contrast between his boardroom suit and the shadowy, dramatic lighting of the opium den set is… well, it’s a choice. You can tell the production team was trying to punch above their weight class with the mood here.

The pacing is all over the place. One minute you’re in a stuffy office, the next you’re in a brawl that looks like it was choreographed by someone who had never actually seen a fight. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in The Spider, though perhaps a bit less focused on the mystery and more on just keeping the balls in the air.

I couldn't help but notice how much screen time Graham Moffatt gets. He’s got this way of standing in the background, looking vaguely confused, that somehow steals every scene he’s in. You start watching him instead of the main plot, which, honestly, might be the better way to experience the film.

Odd little things that stuck:

• The lighting in the opium den is way too dramatic for a comedy. It’s like they borrowed the lamps from a much darker, serious flick.
• Every time the Russian villain opens his mouth, the movie feels like it shifted into a completely different genre. It’s jarring.
• The dialogue is fast, but it doesn't always go anywhere. A lot of talking, not much listening.

It’s not as polished as something like Belle of the Nineties, which knew exactly what kind of messy energy it wanted to project. Stormy Weather feels like it’s trying to juggle too many things at once—blackmail, business, marital drama, and a trip to a foreign quarter. It’s a lot.

I found myself zoning out during the dialogue-heavy scenes only to get snapped back by a random slapstick moment that felt totally out of place. Whatever. It’s short enough that you don't really mind the unevenness. It’s just a weird, little relic that doesn't pretend to be high art. Sometimes that’s enough. 🌫️