‘Deep Cover’s Lead Cast Nails the Comedy Better Than Expected

Bryce Dallas Howard. Nick Mohammed. Orlando Bloom. These three names don’t seem to go together on paper. Howard has found footing in the action genre as of late (the Jurassic World franchise as well as 2024’s Argylle), and Bloom is known for his more dramatic roles recently (2024’s The Cut and 2023’s Gran Turismo).

On the other hand, Mohammed has perfected himself in the comedy world (both on the big and small screen). It’s an unusual mix, to say the least. But in what looks to be a calculated risk, Director Tom Kingsley (as well as Prime Video) has taken this eclectic mix of names and made a movie.

Premiering on June 12, Deep Cover follows a trio of stage performers who have to step through the criminal underworld by cleverly using their improvisation skills. While that is a strange premise, the film’s script clearly takes advantage of each actor’s strengths. There is a reason why Deep Cover already holds high ratings here on MovieWeb and Rotten Tomatoes and ranks among the top 10 on Prime Video. While the three main characters meet each other fairly quickly (that is, Howard’s Kat Boyles, Bloom’s Marlon Swift, and Mohammed’s Hugh), the personalities and background stories cater to each real-life actor’s expertise.

The ‘Deep Cover’ Characters Were Made For Them

Kat Boyles may be the leader of an improv class who just isn’t able to catch a break, but the confidence and quick thinking she harnesses always launches her team forward in their new undercover line of work. Despite his agent constantly landing him unsatisfying gigs, Marlon Swift is an overly serious (and brooding) character actor who insists on crafting a story around whichever fictional role he’s inhabiting.

Hugh is very much a foil to the other two — a computer specialist in a tight-knit office who wishes he knew the secret to being more socially accepted. While Kat and Marlon are both confident in themselves and serious about the job, Hugh quickly becomes both the comedic relief and the biggest liability of the group (because of his social awkwardness). Before we go any further, we need to give a quick round of applause to the writing team of Deep Cover.

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Credit goes to Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, and Alexander Owen for creating characters that align perfectly with the three lead actors’ strengths. Through many of her past productions, Howard knows how to balance a serious tone with funny moments (one of these moments arose when she had to fake a drug addiction for Bloom’s character to steal car keys). Then there’s Orlando Bloom and his drama-focused actor role of Marlon Swift.

Bloom takes the serious side of Boyles and cranks it up, bringing forth a mixture of Lord of the Rings’ Legolas and Will Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean lore. The humor is there as well, but Marlon is one of deep theater, and the jokes are more at the cost of the character’s deep focus, which circumvents his tough-guy exterior. The American audience might not be familiar with Nick Mohammed just yet, but the actor’s timing on the character’s constant uneasiness is excellent when folded in with the other two’s unrelenting bravado. Separately, they are great, but together, these actors (and their characters) are a perfect setup for Deep Cover’s nutty story.

This ‘Deep Cover’ Trio Should Be Used Again

Bloom, Howard, and Mohammed Are Great Together

The undeniable chemistry between the three is also evident. Whether it’s in the beginning when they all meet up with Fly to buy the drugs and Hugh is made to be the taste tester or later on, when they don’t know what to do with a debtor’s dead body, Deep Cover always balances the story (and the hijinks) equally among Boyles, Swift and Hugh. As the movie progresses, the thin connection that brings these three together (the improv class which Boyles teaches) evolves into a life-or-death bonding experience. Not only that, but you see one of the characters has a redemption moment that puts everything into a different perspective. That’s nice to see in a genre that typically lets the conclusion come to a happy-but plot-hollow ending.

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Even though the three have never worked together before during their long and audacious Hollywood careers, their on-screen dynamic never feels wooden or stale. This immediate ebb and flow, which Howard, Bloom, and Mohammed exhibit, speaks volumes about their dedication to the craft. Given how well they work together, will Amazon’s streaming platform jump on the success and announce a sequel sooner rather than later? Only time will tell. For now, you can stream Deep Cover exclusively on Prime Video.