The setup to The ParaPod Movie, much like the podcast that spawned it, is delightfully simple. Two comedians. One - Barry Dodds - an ardent believer in ghosts, and the other - Ian Boldsworth - a steadfast sceptic. 

Each week on the podcast Barry would bring a selection of ghost stories, conspiracies and mysteries, and each week, Ian would, almost* without fail, debunk them. 

This time, they take to the road, in Barry’s ghost taxi - which much to his chagrin turns out to be a modified hearse - as he takes Ian on a tour of some of the most haunted places in Britain.

Fans of the podcast will be delighted to see the return of Carol from Pontefract, who again is excellent value, whether you believe her or not (and trust me, she won’t care if you don’t - Shite to the lot of ya), and excited to get a chance to look round 30 East Drive - The Most Haunted House in Britain… apparently.

But there is also plenty here for series newcomers. The beauty of the set up is in its simplicity. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of the show, or its presenters. 

The ParaPod Movie sets out its stall very all on, and within the first five minutes catches you up on everything you need to know. All that is left then is to sit back and enjoy two comedians dicking around**.

Both Boldsworth - who is making his big screen directorial debut here - and Dodds are sharp, witty and funny throughout, and the music - written by Thomas van Der Ree - is suitably haunting, elevating his iconic ParaPod theme into a full film score.

But the key to the movie is the relationship between Boldsworth and Dodds. Sometimes fractious, never more than two sentences away from a piss take, but - as much as each may try to deny it - full of affection.

This is, ultimately, not a movie about ghosts, but one of friendship, and how a friendship can be maintained despite staunch, differing views. 

It is a film which succeeds where many film spin offs do not - by giving fans of the podcast exactly the experience they will be wanting, whilst also being accessible to those unfamiliar with Boldsworth and Dodds back catalogue. 

It is also a film that will leave you asking questions. Do ghosts exist? Can a believer ever win round a sceptic? And how the bloody hell did Ian manage to turn that tent around?

How else could I end

A ParaPod film review

But with a haiku

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*Ian will likely dispute the word almost

**Although 90% of the dicking around is only really done by one of them