June 13, 2025
by Carla Hay

Directed by Tom Kingsley
Culture Representation: Taking place in London, the action comedy film “Deep Cover” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with some Asians and black people) representing the working-class, middle-class and criminal underground.
Culture Clash: Three people from an improv comedy group find themselves going undercover to deal with criminals.
Culture Audience: “Deep Cover” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners and action comedies that are wacky and well-acted.

“Deep Cover” is exactly the type of twist-filled action comedy with gags, guns and gangsters that will delight fans who enjoy movies that have the madcap spirit of Guy Ritchie’s early films. The “Deep Cover” cast members are in top form.
Directed by Tom Kingsley, “Deep Cover” was written by Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen. The movie had its world premiere at the 2025 edition of SXSW London and had its North American premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Festival. “Deep Cover” takes place in London, where the movie was filmed on location.
“Deep Cover” is about three misfits who are unexpectedly brought together to go undercover for low-level police sting operations and then get involved in situations that are much more dangerous than they expected. Kat (played by Bryce Dallas Howard) is an American who’s been struggling to become a famous actress/comedian. She teaches a improv comedy class, where she meets new students Marlon Swift (played by Orlando Bloom) and Hugh (played by Nick Mohammed), who are also frustrated with their lives in some way. Kat feels insecure about her life because all of her friends from college now have stable middle-class lifestyles, while she’s still financially struggling.
Marlon is a low-level actor who wants to be an action star. Instead, he’s reduced to performing in embarrassing commercials or on the street, as he wears various silly costumes. In the beginning of the movie, Marlon gets dropped by his agent. Hugh is an information technology nerd at an unnamed company. Hugh is socially awkward and has trouble making friends at work because his co-workers treat him like an outcast.
One day, a police detective sergeant named Billings (played by Sean Bean) recruits Kat to work with him on these sting operations for £200 a job. Billings explains to Kat that the people he needs for these stings have to be able to perform roles quickly and can’t look like undercover cops. Kat convinces Marlon and Hugh to team with her for this undercover work. Marlon sees it as a chance to practice being a gritty action star. Hugh is meek and easily led because he’s eager for people to like him.
The rest of “Deep Cover” can’t be described without revealing too much of the plot. It’s enough to say that Kat, Marlon and Hugh get entangled with a “tough guy” criminal named Fly (played by Paddy Considine); Fly’s loyal sidekick Shosh (played by Sonoya Mizuno); Fly’s ruthless boss Metcalfe (played by Ian McShane); and two police detectives named Dawes (played by Ben Ashenden) and Skender (played by Leart Dokle), who are determined to bring down the Metcalfe and his associates.
Kat, Marlon and Hugh invent undercover identities: Kat is no-nonsense group leader Bonnie, who presents herself as the mastermind for the trio’s plans. Marlon is impulsive hothead Roach, who doesn’t hesitate to use any weapons nearby. Hugh is the deceptively mild-mannered The Squier, who has connections in high society but leads a secret life as a cold-blooded criminal.
Hugh joined Kat’s improv comedy class as a way to get confidence and make friends. Some of the movie’s funniest scenes are about Hugh (who is very sheltered in real life) getting into situations that are way beyond what he ever imagined doing. There’s also an amusing “opposites attract” subplot about assertive Shosh and bashful Hugh showing a romantic interest in each other, with Shosh making the first moves.
“Deep Cover” has the right combination of gritty and goofy, Mohammed is a scene stealer, while Howard and Bloom also show their talent with great comedic timing. “Deep Cover” is the type of action comedy that makes up for Howard starring in the 2024 awful flop “Argylle,” another action comedy about people going undercover with fake identities. “Deep Cover” is sure to get repeat viewings from people looking for plenty of bloody good laughs.
Prime Video premiered “Deep Cover” on June 12, 2025.