"thought provoking and poignant"

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - attending screenings for films you know little about at the London Film Festival is one of the perks of the job, especially when it comes to reviewing rare gems like Grassroots.

On the name of Jason Biggs alone I wanted to see this film, and I will say it wasn't what I expected to see from Biggs, and that isn't a bad thing at all, with this film - while he's funny, he shows another string to his bow - much like his turn in Woody Allen's Anything Else.

I hadn't been familiar with Grassroots prior to seeing it. I hadn't read the book it's based on and grassroots politics is not a matter I know too much about - yet that all becomes irrelevant, as Stephen Gyllenhaal's first feature film for 14 years is engaging and keeps me attention from start to finish.

Grassroots is a thought provoking and poignant film that handles its subject matter seriously while still retaining its comedic flair; especially when considering who they have as the three leads.

There is of course Biggs, who is joined by the extremely funny and explosive Joel David Moore and his rival played by Cedric 'The Entertainer' Kyles, the latter, whilst being amusing, still shows that he's not all comedy, and when his part calls for something more dramatic, he adapts accordingly.

The supporting cast don't slouch either, they hold their own, and even genre favourites like Christopher McDonald, who was, in fairness, a little more than a cameo - still turned in a great performance to round off an accomplished film.