David Brent: Life On the Road - directed by Ricky Gervais
It's hard to believe that it has been fifteen years since the UK TV series "The Office" first screened.
Since that breakout effort Ricky Gervais has been everywhere.
There have been starring roles in movies, directing jobs, controversial hosting of awards shows, books, hugely successful podcasts, a Netflix show and several other very popular tv series.
But still it is as David Brent that he will be best known to most people I would think.
This character practically invented cringe comedy and instilled fear into middle management bosses all over the world terrified that their staff might secretly be comparing them with the notorious boss of "The Office".
I was surprised to see that Gervais had made a movie about his most famous creation simply because the character had been give what seemed to me a perfect send off in the Christmas Special that wrapped up pretty much every loose end and character arc.
David Brent was given a redemption of sorts and what looked like a life on the right track for once as the special ended.
Now we find him right back to his old self - deluded, self centred and wildly, cringe enducingly inappropriate.
This film is set fifteen years after the Office and sees David Brent trying one last time to fulfill his dream of being a recording star.
He sells out all of his pension schemes ('Some of them paid out as much as I put in' he tells the camera deadpan) and finances a two week jaunt around a pretty confined section of England with his band Foregone Conclusion in two.
Gervais produced, wrote and directed this film and he pitches it a little bit "This Is Spinal Tap", a little bit "Alan Partridge" and of course a fair amount of his own "The Office".
However this is not more of The Office.... this is all David Brent.
I wonder of there was ever the temptation to include a couple of other series characters even as cameos.
These do not exist and the film relies on the cringe humour that David Brent brings combined with the commentary of his bandmates who are constnatly embarrassed to share a stage and a tour with him.
But not a tour bus.
From day one they refuse him entry to the tour bus that he has paid for.
And so it will go with an ever increasing rift growing between Brent and his bad with every new poorly attended gig and series of embarrassing song choices.
On that note- the songs are where most of the laughs come from.
A song about the plight of Native American's contains the line 'Soar like an Eagle, Sit like a Pelican' while a jawdroppingly awful song about a dying child hoping to see Santa one last time has to be seen to be believed.
And then there is 'Equality Street' the song that Gervais made for Comic Relief with Ben Bailey Smith.
Smith plays second fiddle to Brent in this film as a wannabe rapper desperate to carve out his own path but constantly either pushed aside or worse- positioned centre stage and forced to sing godawful lyrics.
The songs function well as comedy but often have reasonably good musicianship - aside from the lyrics and the vocals of course.
There are legitimate musicians in the band including Razorlight's Andy Burrows on drums who must love Brent's joke 'What do you call a person who hangs around musicians? A drummer!'
When the band is not on stage Brent is given plenty of room to roam the halls of his new office environment where he works as a rep selling bathroom supplies.
The staff here are no match for the crew at Wernham Hogg and it seems that Gervais knows it.
He introduces a very goofy character named Nigel who appears to be a fill in for both Gareth and Finchy. Nigel is the agreeable, giggling buffoon who serves as Brent's best mate and partner in childish pranks and comments.
The humour in these sections is nowhere near as strong as that in the tour sections and neither is anywhere near the crazy, brilliant level of the original tv show.
But there is enough here for sure and I laughed plenty.
It begins well then dips into a flat section before quickly finding its rhythm and finishing pretty strongly even managing a little bit of genuinely touching sentiment.
To be honest we don't really need this film and neither does the main character.
He had the perfect character arc across the two series and the concluding two Christmas Specials and there really isn't anything more to say.
Some of what happened at the tv show conclusion has been dismantled and that always disappoints me.
It smacks of trying too hard to create more to say when all in fact has been.
But - like I say- this movie is funny and that in itself is reason enough for it to exist.
No one does this sort of face in hands, mouth open cringe humour like Gervais.
Yes- his supporting crew of Stephen Merchant, Martin Freeman and McKenzie Crook are missed but in fairness Gervais is above exploiting cheap casting stunts.
What he has crafted in place is solid, funny and very enjoyable.
RATING: 73 / 100
CONCLUSION: An unnecessary film that nevertheless entertains with some amazing song lyrics and the trademarked cringe factor that Gervais practicall invented and continues to be the master of.
Starring: Ricky Gervais, Andre Brooke, Abbie Murphy, Mandeep Dhillon, Jo Hartley, Miles Chapman, Ben Bailey Smith, Tom Bennett, Rebecca Gethings, Kim Benson, Alfie Stewart, Andy Burrows, Steve Clarke, Michael Clarke, Nina Sosanya, Peter Andre
Screenplay: Ricky Gervais
Music Score by: NA
Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin
Cinematography: Remi Adefarasin
Edited by: Garry Dollner
Running Time: 96 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Profanity, Sexual Themes
Running Time: 96 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Profanity, Sexual Themes
Since that breakout effort Ricky Gervais has been everywhere.
There have been starring roles in movies, directing jobs, controversial hosting of awards shows, books, hugely successful podcasts, a Netflix show and several other very popular tv series.
But still it is as David Brent that he will be best known to most people I would think.
This character practically invented cringe comedy and instilled fear into middle management bosses all over the world terrified that their staff might secretly be comparing them with the notorious boss of "The Office".
I was surprised to see that Gervais had made a movie about his most famous creation simply because the character had been give what seemed to me a perfect send off in the Christmas Special that wrapped up pretty much every loose end and character arc.
David Brent was given a redemption of sorts and what looked like a life on the right track for once as the special ended.
Now we find him right back to his old self - deluded, self centred and wildly, cringe enducingly inappropriate.
This film is set fifteen years after the Office and sees David Brent trying one last time to fulfill his dream of being a recording star.
He sells out all of his pension schemes ('Some of them paid out as much as I put in' he tells the camera deadpan) and finances a two week jaunt around a pretty confined section of England with his band Foregone Conclusion in two.
Gervais produced, wrote and directed this film and he pitches it a little bit "This Is Spinal Tap", a little bit "Alan Partridge" and of course a fair amount of his own "The Office".
However this is not more of The Office.... this is all David Brent.
I wonder of there was ever the temptation to include a couple of other series characters even as cameos.
These do not exist and the film relies on the cringe humour that David Brent brings combined with the commentary of his bandmates who are constnatly embarrassed to share a stage and a tour with him.
But not a tour bus.
From day one they refuse him entry to the tour bus that he has paid for.
And so it will go with an ever increasing rift growing between Brent and his bad with every new poorly attended gig and series of embarrassing song choices.
 |
| David Brent is back with a new office and a new love interest |
A song about the plight of Native American's contains the line 'Soar like an Eagle, Sit like a Pelican' while a jawdroppingly awful song about a dying child hoping to see Santa one last time has to be seen to be believed.
And then there is 'Equality Street' the song that Gervais made for Comic Relief with Ben Bailey Smith.
Smith plays second fiddle to Brent in this film as a wannabe rapper desperate to carve out his own path but constantly either pushed aside or worse- positioned centre stage and forced to sing godawful lyrics.
The songs function well as comedy but often have reasonably good musicianship - aside from the lyrics and the vocals of course.
There are legitimate musicians in the band including Razorlight's Andy Burrows on drums who must love Brent's joke 'What do you call a person who hangs around musicians? A drummer!'
When the band is not on stage Brent is given plenty of room to roam the halls of his new office environment where he works as a rep selling bathroom supplies.
The staff here are no match for the crew at Wernham Hogg and it seems that Gervais knows it.
He introduces a very goofy character named Nigel who appears to be a fill in for both Gareth and Finchy. Nigel is the agreeable, giggling buffoon who serves as Brent's best mate and partner in childish pranks and comments.
The humour in these sections is nowhere near as strong as that in the tour sections and neither is anywhere near the crazy, brilliant level of the original tv show.
But there is enough here for sure and I laughed plenty.
It begins well then dips into a flat section before quickly finding its rhythm and finishing pretty strongly even managing a little bit of genuinely touching sentiment.
 |
| The band includes Andy Burrows (far left) and Ben Bailey Smith (far right) |
He had the perfect character arc across the two series and the concluding two Christmas Specials and there really isn't anything more to say.
Some of what happened at the tv show conclusion has been dismantled and that always disappoints me.
It smacks of trying too hard to create more to say when all in fact has been.
But - like I say- this movie is funny and that in itself is reason enough for it to exist.
No one does this sort of face in hands, mouth open cringe humour like Gervais.
Yes- his supporting crew of Stephen Merchant, Martin Freeman and McKenzie Crook are missed but in fairness Gervais is above exploiting cheap casting stunts.
What he has crafted in place is solid, funny and very enjoyable.
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