Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Film Review - Stan and Ollie (2019)

Stan and Ollie stars Steve Coogan and John C Reilly as Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, the legendary comedy double act that went to the top in Hollywood in the 1930s but in 1953 as both of them are getting older in years and aren’t enjoying the huge success they once did they embark on a tour of the UK hoping to also get a new movie project off the ground and proving they still have it.

Stan and Ollie is a very nice movie that is elevated in a very large way by its 2 central performances by Mr Coogan and Mr Reilly though Coogan is the better of the two men though at times I thought that he sounded like Sam Neill as for Mr Reilly he is good in the film even if some of the facial makeup is very noticeable at times but there were also times where I could not help but think just how good John Goodman would’ve been in his role as if there was anyone born to play Oliver Hardy it was him but the two of them do a good job with the light hearted script material they have to work with.

While watching it though I did begin to think of when I use to do my old Radio show with my friend Selina as like those 2 men I couldn’t have imagined doing my old show without her and while there are huge differences between what we did and what those 2 men did together the sense of that double act and not being able to do that one thing without that person to act as the ideal counterpoint and deliver that chemistry really got to me in a way that I did not expect it too.

Hell I very nearly skipped this movie feeling I was all caught up before Captain Marvel was due to open but I decided to stick with it and I am very glad I did even if it did make me miss my old friend.

And so that was Stan and Ollie and it’s a very nice movie with 2 great performances that got to me in a more personal way that I ever thought it would, 3 out of 5.

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