For years, Nick Frost has played the lovable and loyal sidekick to Simon Pegg in films like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul and The World's End. But at long last he's broken free from his Spaced mate and is fronting a funny feature all his own. MSN presents the first trailer for Cuban Fury, the Frost vehicle that has the English comedian playing an unlikely salsa dancer.
Inspired by an original concept from Frost, British TV writer Jon Brown (Misfits and Mongrels) penned a story about Bruce Garrett, a British boy who was born to salsa. A child prodigy with fire in his hips, Bruce lost his confidence after a bully goes too far. Spurned from dancing, Garrett grew older and fatter, packing on the pounds and forgetting his natural passion for salsa. 22 years later, he's an office worker tirelessly mocked by his leaner and cocky co-worker Drew (Chris O'Dowd). But Bruce decides to take a stand when a beautiful American (Rashida Jones) strides into his office and effortlessly wins his heart.
Discovering she's a lover of dance, Bruce returns to salsa to impress her. But after decades of pastries not performance, he struggles to back in step. Encouraged by his sister Sam (Olivia Colman), he seeks out his old dance instructor (Ian McShane) to reignite his inner fire. But to impress his dream girl and beat his office rival in a salsa showdown, Bruce will need more than passion. He'll need feet of flames, the legs of a stallion, and the arms of an eagle!
Cuban Fury marks the feature directorial debut of James Griffiths, who has built his reputation for comedy helming episodes of sitcoms like the UK's Free Agents with Anthony Head, Showtime's Matt LeBlanc vehicle Episodes, and the short-lived Christina Applegate/Will Arnett parenthood series Up All Night. Obviously, this dance-fueled comedy offers Griffiths a chance to make his mark as a moviemaker, but moreover it's Frost's first major opportunity to prove his prowess as a protagonist. Rather than sharing the hero weight with Pegg or adding color to the supporting cast, Frost is being offered the floor to show us what he can do on his own. And with him going to against type, Cuban Fury could be just what he needs to step out of Pegg's shadow. Still, we hope this wouldn't prove the beginning of the end of their collaborations.
Cuban Fury will open on Valentine's Day in the UK. No release date has yet been announced for its US debut.
