Mr. Malcolm's List

Emma Holly Jones’s perky direction keeps the plot trotting briskly along, but the standout element is Pam Downe’s playful costumes.

To watch this engagingly silly and self-aware comedy is akin to inhaling a good-sized tank of nitrous oxide.

On the list of period romcom requirements, the sweet love story ticks all the right boxes.

The sets and costumes look good, the tone is breezy and fun, and some of the humor sticks. All of which makes this an enjoyable addition to a genre that never seems to go out of fashion.

The costumes looked good, the locations were beautiful, and on some very fine writing paper, 'Mr. Malcolm’s List' would seem to tick all the boxes.

It’s in the wit department that this trifle wobbles most, dodging irony and cosying up with convention.