Directed by: Declan Lowney.
Written by: Peter Baynham & Steve Coogan & Neil Gibbons & Rob Gibbons & Armando Iannuccii based on characters created by Baynhan, Coogan, Iannucci and Patrick Marber.
Starring: Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge), Colm Meaney (Pat Farrell), Tim Key (Side Kick Simon), Karl Theobald (Greg Frampton), Nigel Lindsay (Jason Tresswell), Felicity Montagu (Lynn Benfield), Dustin Demri-Burns (Danny Sinclair), Simon Greenall (Michael), Phil Cornwell (Dave Clifton), Monica Dolan (Angela Ashbourne), Kieran Hodgson (Exec), Elizabeth Berrington (Bettie).
I’ve known that Steve
Coogan has played a character named Alan Partridge ever since I first became
aware of Steve Coogan – when he delivered his excellent performance in Michael
Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People back in 2002. Every American review didn’t
seem to know who he was, and every British review mentioned the ever popular
Alan Partridge. According to Wikipedia, Coogan has appeared as Partridge 33
times including radio shows, TV series, shorts, specials, charity appearances
and pretty much everything a fictional character can appear in. The Alan Partridge
phenomenon never really crossed the Atlantic however, and my knowledge of Partridge
was limited to knowing the name, that Coogan played it, and that the character
isn’t all that far away from Coogan`s own comic persona – that of the
egomaniacal star who thinks more of himself than anyone else does. Like the big
screen version of Veronica Mars, the theory behind the movie is to simply make
a long version of what was on TV. I`m sure there are inside jokes to Partridge
diehards in the movie that flew over my head, but I can say that the movie
works on its own terms as well – for a Partridge virgin like myself, I found it
easy to keep up with this movie.
Partridge, a one time TV
personality, now finds himself in a mid-morning spot on a lowly, regional radio
station – doing the type of radio shtick that seems to be the same no matter
where you go. It may not be where he wants to be, but he seems happy enough
doing it. That is until a corporate giant buys the radio station, and Partridge
finds out that one of their first orders of business will be to fire one of two
veteran hosts – himself or Pat Farrell (Colm Meany). Partridge has no problem
selling out his friend to keep his job. But when Farrell returns to the radio
station with a gun and takes over, putting himself back on air, Partridge finds
himself being used by the police as the go between with Farrell – who doesn’t
know about his betrayal. The whole thing becomes a media sensation – and Partridge
thinks it is his ticket back to the big time.
In some ways, the movie
plays like a funnier, less depressing version of Martin Scorsese`s The King of
Comedy – with Rupert Pupkin's delusion being equally spread between Farrell and Partridge. But Coogan and his cohorts
aren’t really interested in exploring the themes of fame and its toxic effects
the same way Scorsese was. Instead, it’s basically a series of comic set pieces
strung together. Luckily, those set pieces are usually funny – and the film is
full of great one liners from beginning to end. Partridge isn’t precisely the
normal Coogan character – for one thing, he has a different voice and
mannerisms – but it’s not that far away either. Since he’s been playing the
character since 1991, it fits him like a glove, and he can cruise through it
without trying if he pleases. Luckily, he doesn’t. He surrounds himself with a
good supporting cast, and no matter how ridiculous the plot gets, it’s still
amusing.
In England, the film was a hit – both critically and commercially. In America, it’s been mainly greeted with a shrug. Alan Partridge isn’t a beloved character in North America – and probably never will be. But the film is entertaining, enjoyable and hilarious throughout just the same.
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