Highlights
- Stephen Graham and Maxine Peake lead the cast of the acclaimed British comedy-drama Funny Cow.
- The film follows a female comedian trying to establish herself in the male-dominated working men’s club circuit of the 1970s.
- Peake’s performance was widely praised by critics, with the film earning a 79% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
- The drama tackles abuse, sexism, racism and survival without softening the world its characters inhabit.
Funny Cow is not the kind of comedy that relies on easy laughs. Directed by Adrian Shergold, the 2018 British comedy-drama follows an unnamed woman, played by Maxine Peake, as she attempts to build a career as a comedian while confronting a troubled childhood and an abusive marriage.
Stephen Graham plays Mike, the father of Funny Calf, in a story set against the tough working men’s clubs of 1970s Britain, where the protagonist has to find her place in an industry largely controlled by men.
A story about finding a voice
At the heart of Funny Cow is a woman determined to make people laugh despite the circumstances that have shaped her life.
Her journey through the working men’s club circuit exposes the sexism and hostility of the era, while the film also examines racism and other forms of prejudice that were often treated as humour.
Rather than presenting her rise as a straightforward success story, the film places her ambitions alongside the abuse and hardship she has experienced.
Peake's performance became one of the film's biggest strengths, with critics highlighting the way she balances her character's toughness with moments of tenderness.
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Graham appears alongside Peake in a cast that includes Paddy Considine as Angus, Tony Pitts as Bob and Alun Armstrong as Lenny.
The ensemble also features Lindsey Coulson, Kevin Eldon, Hannah Walters, John Bishop, Vic Reeves, Diane Morgan and musician Corinne Bailey Rae.
The film premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2017 before its release the following year.
Critics praised its performances and honesty
Funny Cow holds a 79% critics' rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critical consensus putting much of the film's weight on Peake's central performance.
Cineuropa described the film as “powerful stuff”, despite pointing to some of its more conventional elements.
The Australian praised Peake as “excellent” in portraying a woman who can be both tough and tender, while The Times called the film a “tough, passionate and compassionate account of survival”.
The Daily Telegraph also highlighted the film's treatment of racism and other forms of bigotry that were once allowed to pass as humour.
Why Funny Cow is worth watching
The film stands out because it uses comedy to explore a much darker story about survival and resilience.
Its portrait of the 1970s comedy circuit is deliberately uncomfortable, showing the prejudice its central character has to navigate while refusing to separate her professional ambitions from the personal experiences that shaped her.
For viewers looking for a British drama that combines a strong central performance with an uncompromising story about finding a voice in a hostile environment, Funny Cow offers considerably more than its title suggests.
