The rules of improvisation aren’t complicated: believe in the story, never break character, always accept what your partner says, and build from there. So Deep Cover is all about embracing the absurd to the very end — and with no greater ambition than to entertain us, it succeeds.

It’s a ridiculous crime comedy, but with heart and just the right dose of well-meaning chaos. The film, co-created by Colin Trevorrow, marks a return to the director’s indie roots, featuring a script co-written with Derek Connolly and the British duo Pin (Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen), who, by the way, steal the scene as two bickering cops with BBC sketch-show energy.

The plot is delightfully improbable: three misfits — an American actress in crisis (Bryce Dallas Howard), a method actor who takes himself absurdly seriously (Orlando Bloom, in his best role in years), and a sweet, awkward techie guy (Nick Mohammed, from Ted Lasso) — are recruited by a tough cop (Sean Bean) to infiltrate a drug gang. Why them? Because, according to the detective, real cops are too easy to spot. So they say yes.

It’s all one big joke — and the film knows it. It doesn’t try to be smarter than it is, nor does it mock its own jokes. That honesty is part of its charm. The characters fully commit to the improv game, giving the film a cohesive comic rhythm even in its most nonsensical moments, like when they have to dispose of a body with a chainsaw or ingest various substances “for the mission.”

Bryce Dallas Howard delivers her most likable performance in a long time, Nick Mohammed doesn’t miss a beat, and Orlando Bloom, in turn, plays with his own persona with a self-awareness and irony that make everything that much more fun. The central trio has chemistry and timing, which is gold in a comedy.

Can we also mention the mini Lord of the Rings reunion between Sean Bean and Orlando Bloom? Seeing “Legolas” and “Boromir” together again, even for a few seconds, is always a treat for anyone who’s a geek at heart.

The film starts off unassuming but gradually builds itself into a patchwork of good ideas, well-drawn characters, and excellent supporting performances. Paddy Considine and Ian McShane bring the necessary edge of darkness without overshadowing the rest. Is it silly? Yes. But it’s well-done, silly. And when you’re laughing along, no further explanation is needed.

Deep Cover doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it doesn’t need to. It’s fun, throws in a few surprises, and leaves you with the feeling that the whole cast had a blast — and so did we. Isn’t that exactly what we need right now?