Withnail & I

A couple of losers take a vacation in the country. British hilarity ensues. This one is so bad that it's painful to watch. There are funny moments, but they last a total of about five minutes out of the running time of nearly two hours. There's mild amusement after Uncle Monty arrives at the cottage; otherwise this "comedy" is not worth a single chuckle. The actors are not to blame. McGann, Grant, and Griffiths obviously are good comic actors, but they are let down by a script that is unbelievably tedious and unfunny. Some viewers think Brown is great as Danny, and he may be, but he speaks through gritted teeth and is mostly unintelligible.

I have to reluctantly join the majority who gave this film a thumbs down. I rented it fully expecting to enjoy it so it's not like I didn't give it a fair shot --- I gave it a more than fair shot, sticking with it all the way to the end, but it wasn't easy. There's a great deal of talent on display but it doesn't add up to much. I find the frequent references to WITHNAIL'S "hilarity" truly baffling. I laughed exactly twice during the whole movie, and now I can't remember why. Certainly it's possible to make a good movie about obnoxious losers --- TRAINSPOTTING did it beautifully --- but WITHNAIL reminded me of nothing so much as being trapped on a long bus ride next to an obnoxious bore who won't shut up. You don't want to be rude but man do you want that ride to be over.

What a major let down this film proved to be. If your idea of a good time is to witness pompous British players (notably Grant) prancing around London, spouting mindless drivel then good luck to you! I found this so incredibly dull and unfunny that I ached, and can only think that those hailing it a 'classic' are as easily pleased as the leading characters.

Weird people go to the country where they meet more weird people and weird things happen. Apparently this is hilarious to some. The only amusing bit (but not funny.) was putting the chicken in the oven. I can see what the other commentators say about it being funny and it's not totally unwatchable. but it just doesn't work for me. I did watch it all the way through. Perhaps it's all the hype I'd heard before I watched it. If I hadn't heard the hype maybe I would have switched it off half way through and thought no more of it. Now apparently I have to write 10 lines. Like this movie my question is why? I still haven't written enough. 10 lines is more than this movie is worth! When I've said I don't like it I don't want to spend all my life explaining why.

Strange to believe that WITHNAIL AND I , a film that is regarded as today one of the best British comedies ever made flopped spectacularly on its initial release in 1987 and maybe it's not too easy to see why . In the late 1980s the British film industry was in an absolute mire and the very phrase itself " British film " made a homegrown audience roll its eyes and think of art-house crap directed by Derek Jarman or Peter Greenaway . Any British film no matter the genre or how good it was always got tarred with the same brush in those days . Years later actor Ralph Brown ( Danny ) was asked " Why is it a good film ? " to which he replied " Because there's no crap bits in it " which simplifying the truth . WITHNAIL AND I is a very rare type of British comedy since it has been developed to its utmost potential . All too often British comedies of the last 20 years feel like they've been rush released before the script has been used to its full potential but not with this comedy classic because nearly every scene couldn't possibly be any funnier . Everyone has their favourite scene like the one in the Irish bar or the tea room or the one with bull but for me the stand out scene has got to be the urine sample down at the police station . It's also interesting to note that it's a movie without any female characters and feels both homo-erotic and laddish at the same time . It also carries an emotional and poignant impact at the end , something all of us can relate to when our best friend finds a new best friend and we become quickly forgotten All the cast are excellent but Richard E Grant is nothing short of superb and it's probably his performance as much as Bruce Robinson's smart script . You could argue that because Withnail is a camp , self centered , mincing thespian Grant is playing an extension of himself and while this may be true he's certainly enjoyable to watch here . Ironically enough I'd have thought he'd be brilliant as the title character in DOCTOR WHO but it was co-star Paul McGann who got the role in the 1996 American TVM and what a major disappointment he was . As it stands both actors will probably be best remembered for their cracking roles in this movie

What a film! The one-liners, the names (Monty, Withnail...where else would you find such spectacular names?!) True it does not have much of a plot but what it lacks in plot it makes up for in sheer brilliance of dialogue and wit. I had never heard of this film and then suddenly out of the blue : the people i babysat for told me about it, my friend Sarah began raving about it and then the ultimate shove towards watching it, my sister brought the video home! Now if that is not fate i don't know what is. I will be forever grateful. Richard E. Grant is the epitome of the brilliant character actor(i would put his performance on a level such as Daniel Day Lewis, a fete not known by any other actor in my book)finding an exquisite foil in McGann. Watch this film and if you do not find it in the least bit interesting then so be it you are condemned to be boring forever. But if you do not even crack a smile at the infamous line GET IN THE BACK OF THE VAN!! then i would worry for your future in the art of film watching.

Dark? Yes. Clever? Tries hard to be. Funny? In patches. -- That would be my tagline for the film. Withnail and I is one of those films that suffers from achieving cult status after a mediocre performance on release. Go to any student hall of residence and a copy will be there (next to Reservoir Dogs and an ironic copy of Teletubbies...oh so funny!) It is not a bad film, but reading the reviews on this site you would expect a bewildering laugh-a-thon. The one thing the film does have is an exceptional example of acting. Richard E Grant does what he does best - hamming it up big style! If you ever hear a student shouting 'Scrubbers!' out of the window of their car or attempting to roll a 'Camberwell Carrot' - I suggest punching them! PS I am not a studentphobe, I was one after all!

By far the greatest film ever made!!! Truly shows what can be done with just brilliant writing. There are no car chases, explosions, aliens or superheros. This film touches the nerves of anyone that's ever struggled for something that seemed unobtainable. That naive part of youth that makes us feel invincible. The time of your life when you don't mind going without. The time of your life where your greatest memories will come from. The freedom and irresponsibility of being young. Before settling down and having to be a responsible adult and taking the kids to school. I love this movie, it reminds of a time when all I needed was a beer...

In the end moderately 'witty' one-liners cannot resurrect this now-dated film. Withnail and Marwood are stereotypical English boors: irresponsible, self-centred, lazy, slobby, poor personal hygiene. This type usually migrates to the dominions and becomes a shop-steward, or a drama teacher and in neither case adding adding value to life. The witty one-liners aren't all that witty. Have a look at the memorable quotes. Not all that memorable. The delivery is not memorable. The plot is a re-hashed ‘Town mouse visits country mouse'. John Schlesinger did a far better job of this genre in ‘Cold Comfort Farm'. To get anything from this you had to be there at the time. It doesn't travel: incomprehensible in the US and Canada, a time-filler for middle-aged males in Australia.

Richard E Grant is simply perfect as Withnail, the addled but undoubtedly well-equipped "actor" on holiday with his pal, the "I" in the title. His soliloquy from Hamlet in the final scene is one of the best readings of that scene anyone's done in film. This is a film with a point, and a great way of avoiding making it too emphatically. I love every character, and every line. When Withnail frantically searches for antifreeze after drinking lighter fluid in a crazed attempt to become drunk, "I" says, "Everyone knows you shouldn't mix your drink!" Superb!