Tag Archives: Tom Bennett

DAVID BRENT – LIFE ON THE ROAD (2016): The Thing I Liked…

David Brent - Life On The Road (2016), Ricky Gervais
David Brent – Life On The Road (2016), Ricky Gervais

In David Brent – Life On The Road, Ricky Gervais is back as everyone’s favourite ‘office idiot’ – except that this time, Brent has largely left the office behind in exchange for life on the road as a wannabe rock star. The first ten minutes of David Brent – Life On The Road is a lot like The Office, the hit TV show on which this film is based. Unfortunately though, it’s not quite as fun. I found the whole experience of this movie quite awkward and dare I say, ‘very ten years ago.’ The question of whether I felt just as awkward as the members of Brent’s band throughout most of the film is debatable but the difference is likely negligible. I’d like to say that I found the story arc of Brent’s band’s attitude towards him convincing – particularly by the end but I don’t.

David Brent - Life On The Road (2016), Ricky Gervais
David Brent – Life On The Road (2016), Ricky Gervais

The moments I did enjoy besides the ones in the trailer would be each time the band played a one of their funny songs. I also liked the newness that is the character played by Doc Brown.

Before the movie ended, it was quite clear that perhaps this film wasn’t really needed by fans of the The Office (the UK version) because we’d seen all that awkwardness and lack of self-awareness before – and probably executed more effectively. Still, I’m very happy for the people who are mighty glad that this film exists. I just wish that I could be one of them.

Tom Bennett, Mandeep Dhillon, Rebecca Gethings and Rob Jarvis also star.

Happy Film Loving

G

MASCOTS (2016): Funny…

Mascots (2016), Zach Woods, Sarah Baker
Mascots (2016), Zach Woods, Sarah Baker

As the trailer promised, Mascots has a healthy serving of quirky and entertaining characters. A very special selection of unusual people gathered in one place for the 8th World Mascot Association Championships; a sports mascot competition in which the very best sports mascots compete for the ‘Golden Fluffy Award’.

I’m one of those people who stopped watching television talent programmes because I could no longer take all the seemingly forced and inauthentic sob stories. I also decided that life’s not long enough for me to be ok with sitting through the numerous delusional performer’s unbearably cringeworthy interactions with the judges. Luckily for me, there’s none of that nonsense in Mascots.

Mascots (2016), Susan Yeagley, Parker Posey
Mascots (2016), Susan Yeagley, Parker Posey

I loved the humour and the stories of people unapologetically being their – often very peculiar selves. Sid The Hedgehog (Tom Bennett) and Alvin The Armadillo (Parker Posey) are my two favourites.

Mascots is perfect for a relaxed evening’s viewing. I spent most of the time smiling rather than laughing but in this instance, that’s not a bad thing. I like the shooting style which towards the end really had me feeling as though I were right there in the venue audience.

I’m not quite sure if Mascots is based on a real sports mascot competition of this kind but if someone had tickets, I wouldn’t be so quick to say no.

Written/ directed by Christopher Guest and also starring Chris O’Dowd,  Zach Woods, Sarah Baker and Jane Lynch, watch it because the characters are ‘unhinged’, in a good way.

Happy Film Loving

G