Two loser actors leave London to go on holiday in the north of England then come back home again.
Withnail and I is virtually a plot-less movie. Nothing much really happens over the course of the narrative. Instead it's all about witty dialogue and eccentric characters. This seemingly is a film favoured by students, and it's not really surprising seeing as it's primarily about a couple of young guys with little responsibility who sit around in grotty surroundings drinking and taking recreational drugs. I guess the film is partly about a guy coming to the end of such a life-style and entering adulthood. Where at the end Marwood, replete with sensible haircut, exits to pursue his career, leaving his debauched life behind, Withnail, we are in no doubt, will never move on from this world and things will only get worse for him. This theme is enforced by the film being set at the end of 1969. One character describes the 60's as being the best decade the world has known, and its closure in the movie signifies the end of an era in more ways than one; although it has to be said that the film certainly does not romanticise the decade. It's continually raining and everything is gloomy, drab and joyless.
While Withnail and I is certainly a very well acted movie – Richard E Grant is particularly good – the main problem I have with it is that by in large I don't actually find it very funny. I fully realise that for some people, such an admission is tantamount to sacrilege and as punishment I should be strung up by my testicles and repeatedly punched in the face. However, it would be remiss of me not to admit to this reservation. While there are a few good lines sprinkled throughout the film, for the most part it's not, for me, comedy gold. It may well have been partially due to the depressing world that the character's inhabited, I'm not sure. But whatever the reason, that aspect disappointed me. Nevertheless, I thought the film as a whole was an enjoyable enough character-driven period piece with fine acting, a few good lines and some wise sentiments.
Withnail and I is virtually a plot-less movie. Nothing much really happens over the course of the narrative. Instead it's all about witty dialogue and eccentric characters. This seemingly is a film favoured by students, and it's not really surprising seeing as it's primarily about a couple of young guys with little responsibility who sit around in grotty surroundings drinking and taking recreational drugs. I guess the film is partly about a guy coming to the end of such a life-style and entering adulthood. Where at the end Marwood, replete with sensible haircut, exits to pursue his career, leaving his debauched life behind, Withnail, we are in no doubt, will never move on from this world and things will only get worse for him. This theme is enforced by the film being set at the end of 1969. One character describes the 60's as being the best decade the world has known, and its closure in the movie signifies the end of an era in more ways than one; although it has to be said that the film certainly does not romanticise the decade. It's continually raining and everything is gloomy, drab and joyless.
While Withnail and I is certainly a very well acted movie – Richard E Grant is particularly good – the main problem I have with it is that by in large I don't actually find it very funny. I fully realise that for some people, such an admission is tantamount to sacrilege and as punishment I should be strung up by my testicles and repeatedly punched in the face. However, it would be remiss of me not to admit to this reservation. While there are a few good lines sprinkled throughout the film, for the most part it's not, for me, comedy gold. It may well have been partially due to the depressing world that the character's inhabited, I'm not sure. But whatever the reason, that aspect disappointed me. Nevertheless, I thought the film as a whole was an enjoyable enough character-driven period piece with fine acting, a few good lines and some wise sentiments.