REVIEW: ‘Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose’ Tells An Interesting Tale.

Nandor Fodor (Simon Pegg) is a skeptical scientist who believes the paranormal can be explained. When he receives an invitation to visit the Isle of Mann to observe a talking mongoose named Gef (voiced by Neil Gaiman), the doctor, along with his assistant Anne (Minnie Driver), heads off to learn the truth of this local phenomenon in Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, directed and written by Adam Sigal. 

On the surface, this film’s story chronicles a man’s journey to look into what seems to be a hoax. However, as the movie progresses, it leaves behind the obvious question of what is and moves on to a far more intriguing question – why is it? It is this beneath-the-surface exploration of its main character and the people who have come to believe in Gef that allows Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose to craft a handful of moments that save it from being a largely forgettable affair.

The movie’s opening scenes take a little time to establish its titular doctor as well as his place in the world of science. As the world’s foremost expert in parapsychology, possibly because he’s the world’s only expert in the field, Fodor is not taken overly seriously. A brief interview showcases how he is viewed by those around him, as well as introduces the viewer to the key element of the movie’s focus on the question of why.

In this opening, Fodor’s interviewer presumes that he is interested in paranormal phenomena. Fodor corrects him in establishing that he is not so much interested in whether or not some people can see ghosts or other psychic phenomena, but if such things do exist, why only some people can see them.

Once the interview wraps up, Fodor receives a letter from an old friend Dr. Harry Price (Christopher Lloyd, The Mandalorian). Price introduces Fodor to the possible existence of Gef, as he himself traveled to ascertain whether or not the talking mongoose truly existed.

It is during this stretch of the movie that things start to struggle. While Lloyd tries to deliver that audible flair to his delivery of Price’s time seeking out Gef, which will be familiar to many moviegoers, the sequence drags on for far too long. Ultimately, this sequence boils down to nothing more than a long information dump. Even the characterful voice of Llyod couldn’t keep all the information from slowly droning on.

But something in Price’s account piques Fodor’s curiosity and Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose soon see him on his way to the alleged home of Gef. Fodor’s arrival on the island gets off to a slow start as it sees him initially trace the steps that were just described to him by Price. He meets the family that claims the closest ties to Gef, The Irvings, as well as makes similar struggling first attempts to encounter the creature. This retreading of familiar ground drags the beginning of Fodor’s time searching for Gef down a lot.

As his search continues, Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose make it plain what is going on with the Irvings and Gef. But, just like the opening interview, the story subtly shifts from whether or not Gef is really there, to why so many believe he is there, as well as why Fodor himself may wish to believe in the mysterious entity.

It is during the closing scenes of the movie that Pegg truly shines in his leading role. As he attempts to understand the situation he is surrounded by dreg up elements of his past his mental fortitude begins to crumble. Pegg delivers these moments of struggle skillfully. While generally known for his comedic acting, this performance shows that he has some real dramatic chops as well.

The other stand-out performance in this film is Gaiman’s delivery of Gef’s voice. There is something unsettling in the tone and inhuman rattle that pervades the voice of the supposedly warm character. How everyone talks about Gef and how he sounds do not match up. Rather than cause a problem for the character, it left me wondering if there was some sort of supernatural element to the voice. It is a voice that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose manages to deliver an intriguing tale that asks interesting questions and ends with a strong emotional payoff, even if it requires viewers to push through a sluggish beginning in order to get to them.

Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose is in theaters now.