Withnail and I - I've gone and written a review by mistake! (Withnail And I (DVD))

Member Name: david_1967

Product:	Withnail And I (DVD)
Date:	12/03/08 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant script, wonderful acting and lots of drink

Disadvantages: Can't keep up in the drinking game!

Released in 1987 'Withnail and I' is often regarded as one of the greatest comedies of all time and is probably quoted more often than The Bible. It has even spawned its own drinking game for the strong-willed and weak-brained. Although it is advisable to miss out the lighter fluid!

Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann were both given their big breaks in this movie and played Withnail and I (Paul Marwood) respectively. Both unemployed actors during the 60's they spend their time slowly pickling themselves in copious amounts of booze, popping pills and the aforementioned lighter fluid but are given the chance of spending a week away in a country cottage owned by Withnails Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths). Whilst there they are beset with problems such as bad weather, no food, murderous poachers, an amorous bull and an even more amorous Uncle Monty as he arrives with hopes for Marwoods affections amidst the Olde Worlde squalor. Ralph Brown plays the drug dealer Danny who provides the boys' medicinal goods and amazes all with his 'Camberwell Carrot', a joint which can 'utilise up to twelve skins', and his sure-fire way of avoiding being detected for drunk driving by employing the urine of a small child!

The acting is superb throughout with some truly wonderful dialogue. Seeing Richard E. Grant tell a farmer that 'they have come on holiday by mistake' cracks me up every time as does the scene when both stars share a bed in fear of their lives as they hear strange noises downstairs in the cottage. The opening scene which sees Withnail and Marwood having a domestic involving the washing-up and what may be alive in the sink is a brilliant piece of comedy which appears to come as natural to the two actors.

This DVD release comes complete with an uncut version of the film supervised by director of photography Peter Hannon and a commentary by Paul McGann and Ralph Brown. It also contains a newly created 5.1 surround sound track which doesn't really add any further depth to the film in my opinion. There is also a 1999 documentary made for US television detailing the making of the film and the actors recollections of their time spent on it (and away from it).

If you've never seen this film then you are sorely missing out on what is a truly hilarious 108 minutes of British comedy from the writer of 'The Killing Fields' as Bruce Robinson puts to script what is often referred to as semi-autobiographical. It is a seminal movie and is truly regarded as a 'classic'.

This review is also posted on Ciao.

Summary: A truly hilarious comedy that never grows weak with age