Meet Ted Wallace: disgraced poet, world-class cynic, professional drinker. When his wealthy friend asks him to investigate a string of "miracle healings" at a lavish English estate, he's mostly just looking for free booze. What he finds is way stranger. Based on Stephen Fry's razor-sharp comic novel and starring Roger Allam alongside Matthew Modine (Stranger Things, Full Metal Jacket) and Fiona Shaw, The Hippopotamus is a wickedly funny takedown of privilege, belief, and the lengths people will go to feel special. Smart, absurd, and genuinely hilarious from start to finish.

Why This Film Matters: The wellness industry is a multi-trillion dollar machine selling desperate hope to people who can't always access real healthcare, and The Hippopotamus skewers exactly that dynamic. Behind the comedy is a sharp critique of how wealth insulates certain people from accountability while exploiting the vulnerable. At a time when medical misinformation spreads faster than ever online, when "miracle cures" fill social media feeds and charlatans profit from healthcare gaps, this film's satirical bite lands somewhere real. Sometimes the best way to expose a con is to laugh at it.