As The Inbetweeners’ Will, actor Simon Bird knows a thing or two about awkward comedy. It’s an instinct he’s bringing to his debut feature film as director, Days Of The Bagnold Summer – an adaptation of Joff Winterheart’s acclaimed graphic novel about a single mother and her 15-year-old metalhead son spending an entire school summer holiday together when his trip to stay with his dad in America gets cancelled. It’s a film that recalls the seeming eternity of summer holidays, tender mother-son relationships, with a dollop of toe-curling (and ultimately sweet) laughs. Watch the exclusive trailer below.
It’s not just Bird as director that’s worth looking forward to – playing lead character Daniel is Earl ‘son of Nick’ Cave, following up his turns in True History Of The Kelly Gang, and The End Of The F—ing World, with Monica Dolan playing his concerned mum Sue. Beyond that, Bird has assembled a supporting cast of top British comedians, including Tamsin Greig, Alice Lowe, Rob Brydon, and Tim Key.
Days Of The Bagnold Summer will be available to stream on VOD from 8 June – and in the meantime, you can bask in its languid, bittersweet atmosphere by listening to its original soundtrack album by Scottish indie-pop legends Belle & Sebastian, featuring several new songs, instrumentals, and re-recordings of a few classic tracks.