I had seen Potter's "The Singing Detective" before viewing this. (No, not the damn Robert Downey Jr. version, but the superb British TV 6-parter.) So I knew I could expect interesting characters, bizarre events, and an unpredictable plot.<br /><br />LOYC has a terrific cast, first and foremost, which was essential (as so often) to be able to pull off this kind of script. Ewan McGregor, in his very much younger days, presents the best performance of his career (alongside "Trainspotting"); in a way it's a pity that he showed so much promise early on but, although always very likable, he was sub-par in many movies that followed. The guy that plays the neurotic, stuttering Welshmen is simply brilliant. I enjoyed that character very much; nearly every scene with him was a hilarious joy. The actor who plays the primitive, daft corporal is very good, too. The middle-aged army guys were played by familiar faces, very good actors, and last, but not least, we have Louise Germaine here playing the femme fatale. She was a PERFECT choice: her innocent face matched her character's shallowness and stupidity very well, plus a very sexy woman. (A couple of nude scenes with her were not a drawback.) I wonder why I've barely seen her anywhere apart from this TV series...<br /><br />The musical sequences may appear strange at first, but once one gets accustomed to them, they actually give us a nice distraction from some of the tension that goes on. The songs are to the most part quite pleasant 50s oldies, so no harm done. (No Madonna or Aerosmith, thank God, nor would have I expected that kind of crap, of course...) If you want something genuine, original, unpredictable (but not in an idiotic "Saw" kind of way), very well-acted, and a little seedy even, look no further.