Considering that the author likes the idea of carrying his stuff in a brown paper bag. I don't think a beat up looking laptop would bother him. In fact, if you look at the picture, there are a few scratches and dings on his laptop.
Minor scratches won't affect functionality in any way, in fact, I think there is a certain beauty to it. A laptop is a tool, a tool is meant to be used, and usage leaves marks. If it looks spotless, it is as if no work has been done on it.
I‘m fairly sure that generation of MBP is USB-C only. If a UK plug prong is smashing its way in there, you‘ve got much bigger problems than a shorted port.
In my netbook bag: charger, ac cord for the charger, hdmi cord, tiny wired mouse, laser pointer thing, pens/paper, notes, business cards, usb sticks with various linux distros (i often give these away) a kick-ass wifi dongle, ubertooth, and various usb cables. Im not having all that bouncing around in a canvas sack. This thing is small enough to qualify as a "purse" when the flight attendant tells me to check my carryon.
Couldn’t you just mod the bag or add another bag to put inside the movie prop bag? I think the whole point of it is security through obscurity. i.e. People are less likely to rob a cheap bag.
