1987 comedyRating: 18/20
Plot: Two unemployed actors go on a vacation to the countryside, apparently because doing absolutely nothing can get exhausting. They have hilarious misadventures.
"We've gone on holiday by mistake!"
So it turns out that the great Daniel Day-Lewis was offered the Withnail role but didn't take it. As good as he is, it's just hard for me to imagine that anybody could top what Richard E. Grant does with this character. That's high praise. Really though, none of the performances in this one really stand out from the others because they're all good. Even that guy's afro gives an award-worthy performance. This movie is so quotable, but typing the lines I like the most just wouldn't do them justice. You need to hear them in the almost no-context context in which they're presented from the lips of these character actors. "No, it was like this long white hat" would probably be hilarious if you read it in the script, but it's magically hilarious when Ralph Brown's Danny says it. Withnail and I makes me laugh, but there's also this melancholy bubbling beneath the surface, and the end really gets me. I think my favorite moment might be a look on Withnail's face following a sharp "Ponce!" Love this movie. It's got voodoo qualities!
4 comments:
TPT sample from here... "we want the finest wines and we want them now!" or something
Very old school TPT...one of the Speedwalks!
18 or 19. one of the most quotable movies ever. this has one of my favorite bit actors in it. the gay uncle was swelter in gormanghast and harry potters uncle. withnail was such a powerful performance. i want to be withnail more than any other fictional character. he burns bright and quickly. i also love movies where people just natuarally grow and move apart.
This was one of your best recommendations to me. The dry humor, great dialogue, and quirky characters make this a great off-beat comedy. It is just fun to watch, and the touching ending kind of sneaks up on you. Also an 18.
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