Martin Clunes: Heavy Horsepower

‘I’ve just had a six-month driving ban. This speed could be my future.’ Well done to Martin Clunes for heading the obvious joke off at the pass. Still, we suspect Clunes would have wanted to make this film anyway – he’s the proud owner of a couple of beautiful Clydesdale horses and he’s decided to put them to work. Cue various sedate strolls through the world of working nags and a spell in ‘hoof camp’ for Ronnie and Bruce.

A couple of years ago, Clunes made a film about dogs which included the deathless observation that wolves are actually a lot like dogs. This film functions on a similar level of insight: yes, working horses are anachronistic, but they’re also rather lovely and the world would be a nicer place if they still held sway. Unless you’re a transport policeman, it’s impossible to take against the amiable host. But this wanders along the perilous line between charmingly slight and utterly inconsequential and occasionally, stumbles on to the wrong side.