Mad Matty

Let’s get one thing clear about Stan and Ollie and beautiful as it is as a love story between two long-time friends who stick together even in the thin times, it is to all intents and purposes more or less a work of fiction. Big alterations have been made to the circumstances of the two great comedians because if you did not there would be no real dramatic story. So, it is understandable and not a criticism because Stan and Ollie is a great, emotional, hug of a film, strongly acted and written from start to finish.

To qualify this without wishing to try to be clever or mean Stan and Ollie were actually hugely popular on this tour and performed in top venues as part of a variety bill and not on their own and they had been doing these tours since 1942. I just found this interesting to see what was changed to give the story more dramatic imputes.

The film is a huge love-letter (how many times do I use this expression in my reviews) to the two men and the era it is set it. It is helped able along by the two actor portraying some of the most viewed comedians on the planet, with Coogan once again proving what a fine actor he is as he gets to grips with the screen presence of Stan Laurel and more importantly the off-screen persona, he is more than match by the sublime John C. Reilly playing the sweet-natured ‘Babe’ Hardy.

If the audience is not spoiled enough, we get Shirley Henderson (always perfect) and Nina Arianda playing the power behind the respective thrones as the seemingly icy double-act of the wives. Both give us as many snorts and laughs as the two male leads just from a different angle. The chemistry is perfect between all four.

Wedged in between the foursome we have the perfect foil, Rufus Jones, pitched sublimely between true fan and untrustworthy agent as the man who books Laurel and Hardy into the venues and then has to suggest ideas to the old men how they might get more fans into the venues with some extra unpaid work. In truth the story, setting and acting are sublime and make and sad, beautiful film, that is still uplifting despite, like life itself, it’s up and downs.

Personally I could have seen more the 1937 Laurel and Hardy that we glimpsed at the top of the tale, I loved the short cameo of James Finlayson a regular foil of the duo but it is entirely understandable that there is no real dramatic pull in a story of two men being very popular and successful.

Stan and Ollie is a great, commendably short film, that tells a true platonic love story between two great comedians from the golden age of movies and comedy and it leaves you warm, glowing, feel at the end and perhaps a tear in your eye.

You can’t help feeling it is a movie that is needed in the current climate.

I hesitated before watching this documentary. Having lost a close friend to suicide earlier this year, I didn't want to put myself through the emotional challenge of watching others deal with the pain that follows. I'm glad I did, however. While the doc leaves no answers for those who are suffering, it does bring this difficult subject to light, with the reminder that we should talk and share with each other our memories of the people we love, be they sad or happy thoughts. I felt hurt for the family of Evelyn, and the grief they shared resonated within me - the what if's, and the could I have's that come with the hole that is left behind in our hearts.

I recommend this documentary to anybody, for it should be a reminder to any of us to watch out for those close to us. And for any of you struggling with the demons in your head and feelings of hopelessness, please seek help and talk to those around you. Suicide can sometimes seem like the only answer to our problems, but life is precious and there is always hope, no matter how far away that seems.

Here's a poem that was shared in the documentary; it's for any of you struggling with grief in your life.

If I be the First of us to Die

If I be the first of us to die,
Let grief not blacken long your sky.
Be bold yet modest in your grieving.
There is a change but not a leaving.
For just as death is part of life,
The dead live on forever in the living.
And all the gathered riches of our journey,
The moments shared, the mysteries explored,
The steady layering of intimacy stored,
The things that made us laugh or weep or sing,
The joy of sunlit snow or first unfurling of the spring,
The wordless language of look and touch,
The knowing,
Each giving and each taking,
These are not flowers that fade,
Nor trees that fall and crumble,
Nor are the stone,
For even stone cannot the wind and rain withstand
And mighty mountain peaks in time reduce to sand.
What we were, we are.
What we had, we have.
A conjoined past imperishably present.
So when you walk the wood where once we walked together
And scan in vain the dappled bank beside you for my shadow,
Or pause where we always did upon the hill to gaze across the land,
And spotting something, reach by habit for my hand,
And finding none, feel sorrow start to steal upon you,
Be still.
Close your eyes.
Breathe.
Listen for my footfall in your heart.
I am not gone but merely walk within you.

Tonight I was blessed indeed. For starters, I was blessed with a wonderful film - Steve Coogan and John C Reilly truly brought those age-old (yet timeless) comedians to life, in a film that was both funny and bittersweet. With reenactments of some of their most beloved scenes, it was hard to distinguish their performances from the real thing. A testament of talent to the actors playing the parts, and a testament to just how brilliant the original comic pairing were.

Secondly, I was able to attend an advance preview of the film hosted by Steve Coogan himself. While I have always held L&H in high esteem, I have long been a fan of Coogan's work, especially the indomitable Alan Partridge. To be able to stand in a room with Coogan's friends and family, and the great man himself before the film started (along with members of the L&H group I am a part of) was just great, and while I never got to shook Steve's hand, I was still able to breathe the same air space as him!

Sill, I shouldn't let my adoration of Coogan take away from the magic of the film itself. For any fan of the comedic duo, this is a must see - it's just unfortunate that unlike the blessed few, you won't be able to see it for another few weeks yet, at time of writing! AHA! And indeed DOH!

Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat.Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Darn time loops.Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Someone get me outta here. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Endlessly talky yet endlessly inventive, this is one sci-fi movie that is worth having on repeat. Ad infinitum.

Well it wasn’t anything great, had the same old gags, story and some characters were a little cheesy, few new ideas but didn’t fail to make me laugh at moments specially the dancing scene and I think it had most of the best parts in It’s trailer.

I think they should of ended it with the first film of the franchise because they’ve not done any better, they always try too hard with later franchie sqeuals, always rush them, not all thought, some can turn out good but for some in the end it becomes too cheesy for me.

It’s a shame that he pronounced a few days back that he wasn’t gonna do anymore mr bean, understandable from the point of his last film (holiday) because it was terrible and has nothing on the first, just another cheesy rushed film without enough work put into it but I still think he’s got it still for a mr bean mini series or christmas special seeing as you could notice all the way through this film mr bean coming out in his character and don’t get me wrong, he did great, the film just didn’t live up to his talent in my opinion.