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4.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 4.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Bailiffs remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for vintage slapstick that doesn't quite know when to quit. If you want high-concept drama, stay far away. If you enjoy watching two guys struggle with a heavy sofa in a hallway for three minutes straight, pull up a chair.
The whole premise of The Bailiffs is basically a long-form joke about how bad people are at their jobs. It reminds me a bit of the chaotic energy in Call of the Cuckoo, though with significantly less charm and more property damage.
The way Ian Wilson stares at the camera after breaking the door is… a choice. It lasts a beat too long, and for a second, I thought he was going to just give up and go home. That would have been the smartest move, honestly.
There is this one shot where they are trying to fit a wardrobe through a narrow doorway, and you can see the set wall wiggle. It is so obvious. I bet the guys behind the camera were just as tired as the characters on screen.
It’s not trying to be The Seventh Sin, that’s for sure. It’s just a dumb, loud, and surprisingly persistent bit of fluff. Sometimes it feels like they’re just making it up as they go along.
At one point, a cat runs across the frame. It wasn't in the script, I bet. Nobody reacts to it, which is the most realistic thing in the whole movie. 🐈
The pacing is a disaster, but somehow that fits. It’s just as frantic as watching someone try to pay a fine with a bag of loose change. I laughed twice, but I think I was just tired.