A rare laugh out loud comedy (Withnail And I (DVD))

Member Name: lm09

Product:	Withnail And I (DVD)
Date:	25/01/09 (8 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Richard E Grant plays a perfect Withnail. A great great film

Disadvantages: None

Withnail And I (1986) is as near to perfect as a film can be. If I could only have three films this would make the grade as one of them. The funniest film ever made. Timeless and as good today as it was when it was made. Oh and the bonus is that its a British film too.

Directed by Bruce Robinson (writer of Withnail and also the Killing Fields) the film is a comedy that follows three characters as they stumble through life in England.

Set during the depression of the late 60's, the film's central characters Withnail (Richard E Grant) and 'I', Marwood (Paul McCann) are both unemployed and pretty much unemployable actors. Withnail, of priveledged upbringing cannot stand having to live like a bum in the squaller of the London flat he share with Marwood. With freezing temperatures and 'things' that live in the kitchen, Withnail has to get out of London before he loses his mind.

Withnail approaches his uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths) and secures the use of Monty's holiday home somewhere near Penrith in the north of England. It is here that we truly begin to see just how incapable both Withnail and Marwood are. (NB - an interesting aside, it has recently been reported that the actual cottage featured in the film has been purchased by a fan of the film who intends to restore it to its Withnail and I 'glory')

This film must have more laugh out loud moments than any other film I can think of. The sight of a chicken sat on a brick cooking, Withnail's idiot proof drink driving solution, the scene in the tea shop, all are amazing comedy moments.

Withnail, Richard E Grant, is the comedy force in this film. Every line he has he delivers in his upper class chirp and every line of dialogue he has is so, so funny.

As for Marwood, (by the way Marwood is a name never used in the film) I is the narrator of the piece and central character and his name is never heard. The only use of Marwood comes when a telegram arrives with this name on. Little known fact for obsessives!!!

Anyway as for Marwood, Paul McCann is for the most part the straight man to Richard E Grants performance. He does though play this role really well and supports Withnail in the delivery of some of the funniest dialogue on film.

The soundtrack to this movie is good too. A Whiter Shade of Pale will forever remind me of Withnail.

This is a stunning comedy. One that will forever be kept alive by a generation of students quoting Withnail's gems (I believe this is one of the most quoted films of all time). A great movie. Seriously stop what you are doing now and go any buy this film. I must have seen it 20 times and still laugh out loud.

Summary: Simply brilliant. The funniest film you will ever see