Back in 1998, a slightly-embarrassing worldwide media storm was kicked up when two little piggies escaped from a West Country slaughterhouse and scarpered, as fast as their trotters could carry them, over the open countryside in a break for freedom. To be honest, it was a bit of a non-story then, and it still is now, but that was of little importance to the throngs of tabloid reporters who became briefly obsessed with the tale. And, apparently, its of little importance to the BBC either, as theyve now made this film out of it.
So its a true story then. Or, at least, a true story of sorts. I mean, Im guessing the real porkers (dubbed Butch and Sundance by the press) couldnt actually talk. And this might be a pretty wild stab in the dark, but Im pretty sure Kevin Whately wasnt there bizarrely dressed a bit like the Devil either. In fact, the only part of Jed Mercurios screenplay Im willing to believe definitely happened is the bit where our curly-tailed fugitives get drugged up on hippy herbs and get told by Brian Blessed to look for their mother on the other side of a giant white horse. After all, theres not a day goes by where something similar doesnt happen to me.
Stretching to a modest 60 minutes, its all pretty tame stuff which will really only appeal to the youngest of viewers (although there is one very funny Jaws send-up in there, which unfortunately is destined to go right over the ankle-biting heads of the target audience). Theres a reasonable comedy cast, including the likes of Alexei Sayle, John Sessions and Chris Langham, but none of them are given much to do. Emma Pierson is nice to look at as the journo from the local rag who first picks up on the story, and voice-over combo James Dodd and Natasha Day (a replacement for Lucy The Office Davis) are decent enough as the oinkers in question, but when alls said and done theres just not enough here to capture the imagination.
Brought to life by Anita and Me director Metin Huseyin, its tailor-made for that Easter holiday TV slot normally occupied by the likes of Wallace & Gromit. Suffice to say, these pigs arent a patch on the plasticine pair.