Directed by Christopher Menaul. Starring Richard E Grant, Sarah Brightman, Mia Maestro, Julian Ovenden, Susannah Fielding 15A cert, Cineworld, Dublin, 112 min

MEGA-INDUSTRIALIST Richard E Grant assembles a crack team of opera singers at his lavish country estate. His dream is to perform in a kick-arse production of Così fan tutteand perchance win the heart of fair conductor Sarah Brightman. But before you can say, "What do expect from a Country House flick?" delightful romantic misunderstandings ensue. Just like in Così fan tutte. Well, how about that.

Light comic opera is rarely heralded for the subtlety of its plotting. And First Night's attempt to recreate libretto whimsy as a meta-movie frequently proves too farcical even for a genre that's broad enough to have spawned Splitting Heirs.

Humorous scenes too hackneyed to have made Mozart's 1790 cut play out to the amusement of no one. Oh no! He thinks she's a lesbian but she isn't. And they all think he's not gay but he is. And so on. Whereas Mozart suggested a singing swingers' party, First Nightpresents Carry On Up the Tutti.

The thin, inconsistent characters and fossilised orgasm jokes only truly come to life when Cosìdoes. Onscreen, the makeshift company discusses the possibility of bringing a new kineticism to Mozart. Behind the camera, Christopher Menaul, the veteran director of Prime Suspectand Fatherland, delivers just that. The synched opera numbers are slick and seamless, and DP Tim Palmer keeps the framing fluid.

Still, we couldn't help but wonder if this haphazardly conceived concoction was also dreamed up by a wealthy mega-industrialist with more money than sense. The film-makers say it's Gosford Parkmeets Amadeus. We say: what film did they see?