This week I’m looking at the latest Netflix comedy to land in the UK, and an excellent film that fell under the radar a few years back.

Netflix’s The Lovebirds was originally meant to have a theatrical release but with cinemas closed in the US, Netflix bought the rights and it’s available to stream now. The setup is nothing new with a bickering couple setting off to a party and finding themselves in the middle of a murder mystery, but the chemistry between the main leads is natural, believable and very funny. Nicely played by Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, they spark off each other beautifully and lift the film onto a whole new plane, easily worthy of a cinema release. The Lovebirds shares a director and lead (Nanjiani) with the highly acclaimed indie comedy The Big Sick which charmed us all back in 2017, and while this one never quite hits the same heights, it’s a mighty fun watch while it lasts. Recommended for a lazy afternoon, and for many of us there are an awful lot of those at the moment!

Disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong was back in the news recently promoting a new documentary about his life. Anyone wanting a shorter precis of the tumultuous events in his cycling career should head over to iPlayer for Steven Frears’ excellent film, The Program. This one never quite reached the audience it deserved on its 2015 release, perhaps because it told a story that felt too familiar at the time, but it tells that story really well and mixes a documentary style feel with elements of a thriller. Ben Foster (Leave No Trace) plays Armstrong with a whiff of messiah about him and Irish actor Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids) is the journalist who doggedly exposes Armstrong’s complex doping system. If you don’t feel like joining the many cyclists currently thronging the roads around Oswestry, watching The Program will give you all the thrills without the saddle sore feeling!