It's much funnier, and sadder, watched stone-cold sober.
Withnail and I (1988)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:24
Fresh:23
Rotten:1
Average Rating:8.3/10
Theatrical Release:07-09-2007
Synopsis: Bruce Robinson's semi-autobiographical account of his early years as an actor has become a cult hit of massive proportions, inspiring countless numbers of young men and women to quote stars Paul... Bruce Robinson's semi-autobiographical account of his early years as an actor has become a cult hit of massive proportions, inspiring countless numbers of young men and women to quote stars Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant and their booze-soaked dialogue. The story follows these two unemployed actors in 1969 London, as they take a holiday in the country. Trapped inside a dank, empty cabin with each other, an endless downpour of heavy rain battering their roof, the two men form a complicated bond fueled by booze, disaster, and nihilism. Though not much happens in terms of plot, WITHNAIL AND I is one of the most subtly hilarious films to come out of 1980's Britain. [More]
Starring: Paul McGann, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown
Starring: Paul McGann, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths, Ralph Brown
Director: Bruce Robinson
Director: Bruce Robinson
Reviews for Withnail and I
A biting script from writer-director Bruce Robinson and performances from Richard E Grant and Paul McGann as two ‘resting’ actors, Withnail and ‘I’, that neither has surpassed.
The best British comedy ever made? Possibly. A masterpiece? Unquestionably.
A modern classic? A brilliant vignette of a certain time and attitudes? A self-indulgent jeu d’esprit? One thing is certain: Richard E. Grant touched greatness.
Grant - a teetotaller - delivers the performance of his life as the doomed thesp, whether it be demanding the "finest wines available to humanity", downing lighter fluid, or feeling like a pig shat in his head.
Has any screenplay combined so many quotable lines with such tear-jerking pathos or blatant homophobia?
a wonderfully written bit, more literary than cinematic, and the movie chugs forward on the sheer strength of its dialogue and performers
Best known for launching the underexposed Grant's career. And for being severely overrated.
Set in 1969 England, it portrays the last throes of a friendship mirroring the seedy demise of the hippie period, delivering some comic gems along the way.
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