‘More than just a cheap ticket,” it says on the marquee above the Prince Charles in London’s Leicester Square – a cinema beloved for showing cult films, sing-alongs and all-night movie marathons. The Prince Charles is a favourite of Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino, and when news emerged it was threatened with closure earlier this year, more than 165,000 people signed a petition. Now comes a black-and-white movie, a work-based comedy following a fictionalised day in the life of the Prince Charles, shot by Fil Freitas, whose day job is duty manager at the cinema.
On paper, that sounds annoyingly smug and self-conscious. But The Regulars turns out to be sweet and charming, and absolutely hilarious in places, with the easygoing, natural feel of a Richard Linklater film. Freitas shot the whole thing for £6,000, filming at night, when the cinema was closed. His cast is a mix of friends and family, alongside Prince Charles staff and a few professionals. On the whole, they give funny, relaxed performances.
