Stan & Ollie - Review
Director: Jon S. Baird
Cast: Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly
Wholesome, hilarious, adored. They're just three adjectives that could be used to describe the comedy double act Laurel & Hardy but will the biopic Stan & Ollie, detailing the final period in their illustrious career, incorporate all of these qualities and simultaneously pay respect to the duo's incredible legacy?
After years of reigning supreme as the world's greatest comedy duo, Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly) eventually struggle to hold on to their Hollywood stardom. In an effort to raise their profile and get their comedic adaptation of Robin Hood made, they embark on a tour of variety halls in Britain but past tensions and Hardy's ailing health threaten to jeopardise their partnership.
Baird's last directorial outing was with 2015's aptly titled Filth based on Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name. The vulgarity of Filth could not be more contrasted by Stan & Ollie''s sweetness, but Baird's handle on both properties is strong and he shows his versatility as a film-maker. Stan & Ollie's safe and by-the-numbers script is elevated by Baird's ambitious direction; beginning the film with a lengthy tracking shot, he cleverly establishes the rapport between the two performers and addresses the statuses in their partnership.
However, it's truly the two lead actors who steal the show. Stan & Ollie's chief theme of friendship wouldn't be nearly as resonant without the sublime performances from Coogan and Reilly. Not only do they physically resemble the famous figures and affect their distinctive lilts, but their performances craft a much richer understanding of these two comic legends. Stan is the comedic mastermind behind their work, writing the majority of the sketches they deliver and constantly thinking of new ways to amuse their fans. Meanwhile, Ollie is the more passive of the two, rarely contributing to the creative process and relying on Stan to write the material and handle the business-related decisions. It may seem like an unbalanced partnership but over the course of the film it becomes clear - there's no Stan without Ollie, and no Ollie without Stan.
Another double act present themselves as a comedic force to be reckoned with - Stan and Ollie's wives, Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda). Like their husbands, they both possess stark demeanours; Lucille is cautious but quietly assertive whilst Ida is confident and loudly opinionated. Despite their differences, their unwavering love and support for their spouses unites them in many entertaining exchanges.
Gentle and heart-warming, Stan & Ollie may not pride itself of being an innovative biopic but it reveres its titular duo with so much delight that it'll charm audiences - old and new.
EB
Cast: Steve Coogan, John C. Reilly
Wholesome, hilarious, adored. They're just three adjectives that could be used to describe the comedy double act Laurel & Hardy but will the biopic Stan & Ollie, detailing the final period in their illustrious career, incorporate all of these qualities and simultaneously pay respect to the duo's incredible legacy?After years of reigning supreme as the world's greatest comedy duo, Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly) eventually struggle to hold on to their Hollywood stardom. In an effort to raise their profile and get their comedic adaptation of Robin Hood made, they embark on a tour of variety halls in Britain but past tensions and Hardy's ailing health threaten to jeopardise their partnership.
Baird's last directorial outing was with 2015's aptly titled Filth based on Irvine Welsh's novel of the same name. The vulgarity of Filth could not be more contrasted by Stan & Ollie''s sweetness, but Baird's handle on both properties is strong and he shows his versatility as a film-maker. Stan & Ollie's safe and by-the-numbers script is elevated by Baird's ambitious direction; beginning the film with a lengthy tracking shot, he cleverly establishes the rapport between the two performers and addresses the statuses in their partnership.
However, it's truly the two lead actors who steal the show. Stan & Ollie's chief theme of friendship wouldn't be nearly as resonant without the sublime performances from Coogan and Reilly. Not only do they physically resemble the famous figures and affect their distinctive lilts, but their performances craft a much richer understanding of these two comic legends. Stan is the comedic mastermind behind their work, writing the majority of the sketches they deliver and constantly thinking of new ways to amuse their fans. Meanwhile, Ollie is the more passive of the two, rarely contributing to the creative process and relying on Stan to write the material and handle the business-related decisions. It may seem like an unbalanced partnership but over the course of the film it becomes clear - there's no Stan without Ollie, and no Ollie without Stan.
Another double act present themselves as a comedic force to be reckoned with - Stan and Ollie's wives, Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda). Like their husbands, they both possess stark demeanours; Lucille is cautious but quietly assertive whilst Ida is confident and loudly opinionated. Despite their differences, their unwavering love and support for their spouses unites them in many entertaining exchanges.
Gentle and heart-warming, Stan & Ollie may not pride itself of being an innovative biopic but it reveres its titular duo with so much delight that it'll charm audiences - old and new.
EB
Comments
Post a Comment