Rent Stan and Ollie (2018)

Great film - do not take it too literally though - Stan and Ollie review by Strovey

Let’s get one thing clear about Stan and Ollie and beautiful as it is as a love story between two long-time friends who stick together even in the thin times, it is to all intents and purposes more or less a work of fiction. Big alterations have been made to the circumstances of the two great comedians because if you did not there would be no real dramatic story. So, it is understandable and not a criticism because Stan and Ollie is a great, emotional, hug of a film, strongly acted and written from start to finish.

To qualify this without wishing to try to be clever or mean Stan and Ollie were actually hugely popular on this tour and performed in top venues as part of a variety bill and not on their own and they had been doing these tours since 1942. I just found this interesting to see what was changed to give the story more dramatic imputes.

The film is a huge love-letter (how many times do I use this expression in my reviews) to the two men and the era it is set it. It is helped able along by the two actor portraying some of the most viewed comedians on the planet, with Coogan once again proving what a fine actor he is as he gets to grips with the screen presence of Stan Laurel and more importantly the off-screen persona, he is more than match by the sublime John C. Reilly playing the sweet-natured ‘Babe’ Hardy.

If the audience is not spoiled enough, we get Shirley Henderson (always perfect) and Nina Arianda playing the power behind the respective thrones as the seemingly icy double-act of the wives. Both give us as many snorts and laughs as the two male leads just from a different angle. The chemistry is perfect between all four.

Wedged in between the foursome we have the perfect foil, Rufus Jones, pitched sublimely between true fan and untrustworthy agent as the man who books Laurel and Hardy into the venues and then has to suggest ideas to the old men how they might get more fans into the venues with some extra unpaid work. In truth the story, setting and acting are sublime and make and sad, beautiful film, that is still uplifting despite, like life itself, it’s up and downs.

Personally I could have seen more the 1937 Laurel and Hardy that we glimpsed at the top of the tale, I loved the short cameo of James Finlayson a regular foil of the duo but it is entirely understandable that there is no real dramatic pull in a story of two men being very popular and successful.

Stan and Ollie is a great, commendably short film, that tells a true platonic love story between two great comedians from the golden age of movies and comedy and it leaves you warm, glowing, feel at the end and perhaps a tear in your eye.

You can’t help feeling it is a movie that is needed in the current climate.

Winning biopic - Stan and Ollie review by Alphaville

Affectionate biopic of Laurel and Hardy touring Britain 16 years after their peak. Lovingly observed and impeccably acted by Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly. You’ll find no great cinematic highs here, but it’s an irresistible wallow in nostalgia. As director John S. Baird says on the DVD Xtras, “If you’ve got a heart you’re gonna love this film”. As well as loving the subject, film fans will also find the VFX breakdown on the DVD Xtras fascinating.

Funny but Flawed Film which should have won Oscars (Best Supporting Actress for sure). - Stan and Ollie review by PV

I enjoyed this movie. However, it is flawed and silly in parts. For example, the TOTALLY unnecessary Irish scenes in the third act, which are a blatant attempt to appeal to US audiences. That failed, as the movie was not shown much there, hence NO Oscar nominations at all.

John C Reilly should have won BEST ACTOR maybe, and the actress playing Stan Laurel's Russian wife CERTAINLY should have won BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (won by an African-American actress - predictably). It is perhaps their misfortune to be around in an age when 'people of colour' have an unfair advantage for nominations and so often leapfrog over better actors to get their (often undeserved) wins. Sad.

I heard a much better radio play from 2004 called STAN by Neil Brand - it's available on YouTube - set after Ollie had had a stroke and was on his death bed in the USA. That's sublime drama.

This is yet another PBC movie - 'pre-branded content'. Film Studios love making movies about events and people we KNOW - such as the life of Queen, Elton John, 'based on a true story' stuff, like The Queen, Margaret et al. This is because people are more likely to go and see such films rather than 'cold' movies which are completely original. It also seems true that in these politically divided times, we are seeing loads of song and dance films - as in the 1930s, Busby Berkely movies at a time of depression and chaos.

This also annoyed me as, to comply with the BAME-casting so-called 'colourblind' obsessed these days, there were several black and Asian actors cast - as theatre manager in Glasgow, hotel receptionist in Newcastle and at the Savoy. This is 1953! Let's say that again. 1953! Even London was not very ethnically diverse then - Newcastle certainly wasn't. I have photos taken in London from my father from the early 50s. One black face - a nurse. That's it. To cast BAME actors in such roles is NOT OK - even worse in silly films like MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS which casts black actors late 16th Dukes which is ABSURD!). It is rewriting history - very Stalinist actually. And NOT true or real. It's fraud, basically - and cringe-worthy. And what is worse is audiences will actually BELIEVE 16th C Dukes were black and 1953 Britain was very ethnic too. It wasn't. This is pure pc propaganda and ruins many movies now.

The acting is great - though it is hard to see Steve Coogan in anything and not think of Alan Partridge of 'AHA!'. John C Reilly should have been nominated for an Oscar as should the 2 women playing the wives. The fact they were not is a disgrace BUT this movie got limited release in the USA. ALL filmed in England though.

It's worth remembering that ONE reason this is an enjoyable watch is because of the genius of Laurel and Hardy (and in fact it was the Brit Stan Laurel who wrote it all and was the genius; Ollie just acted - perfectly - but he was not a creator). Not knighted and had financial issues as they got older which is sad and just shows how cut-throat and exploitative the movie industry has always been. The routines are fab - The Blue-ridged Mountains of Virginia especially which has always been my favourite Laurel and Hardy sketch BUT WHY NOT watch the ORIGINAL movies, all 150 of them, rather than recreations here?

Nice to see Swansea on the map - I know the Palace Theatre there where Laurel and Hardy performed is now derelict. Chaplin performed there too any Anthony Hopkins. Sad.

Nice to see Richard Cant (son of Brian) in the cast too.

SO I give this 3 stars out of 5. It would have been 4 if not for the silly pc casting and the mistake of pandering to US audiences with the Irish section.

Heart warming affectionate biopic - Stan and Ollie review by CP Customer

Definitely worth a watch. Both actors and their supporting cast are superb in this film. Funny and poignant. Much recommended.

Beautifully gentle and tender portrayal - Stan and Ollie review by CP Customer

I've never been a big fan of Laurel and Hardy, so had no preconceptions at all of what to expect. Yes, I'd seen a few clips, so I got some of the tropes and twitches, but didn't know even that Stan was English.

I found this an engaging, tender and lovely portrayal of male friendship through thick and thin. Tour de force by both main leads, and to call the female leads supporting does them a real disservice - they were worth a whole movie by themselves.

Really enjoyable and, like all great biopics, encouraged me to find out more about their story.

Reilly can act after all. - Stan and Ollie review by NC

Step Bros was funny as a one off, but the banal series of films Reilly has been drawn willing into have not been the best. Will has done a couple of decent straightish films, including Elf of course, but many have been dire rubbish.

Steve is known to be capable of acting and impersonations, and lives up to it spot on as Laurel. Reilly is oliver. He not only gets the movement and facial nuance, but also the character.

Saw all their films when was a small kid, as not much else on TV then. The dance routine at the Saloon entrance is just about perfection.

Oscars probably just skip past it all en route for some politically correct outcome.....................

To get one person to a T is clever, but to get two at once, with the inter-action, is unique.

Stan & ollie - Stan and Ollie review by MB

Well crafted piece. The relationship between them is well observed and performed. Reproduction of the stage routines were great. A wonderful tribute