I found Stan & Ollie to be a melancholy movie. The movie begins in 1937 on the set of Way Out West. Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly) acted together in 107 movies, 95 of them as stars. Yet, they had no financial stake in any of those films. Laurel appeals to Hardy to allow him to negotiate with the movie studio to gain some financial benefit from their work…but Hardy doesn’t want to make waves.
The movie then fast-forwards to 1953. Both Laurel (63) and Hardy (61), at the end of their careers, undertake a series of performances in England to make much needed money. Laurel pursues a British film-maker who dangles the hope of a Robin Hood movie starring Laurel and Hardy before the desperate comedians. I really liked Shirley Henderson who plays Ollie’s caring wife, Lucille. And Nina Arianda who plays Stan’s wife, Ida, steals every scene she’s in.
I loved Laurel & Hardy movies as a kid. This movie about two fading comedians is more sad than funny. GRADE: B
I remember seeing this old episode of “This Is Your Life” (I should add, it was old when I first saw it) with them. It was incredibly sad to watch—I don’t think I could take a whole movie’s worth of that.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yPt3NKzeOtk
Deb, Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly reenact several of the Laurel and Hardy comic routines. But, the narrative arc of the movie is down, down, down.
It certainly was more sad than funny. I wish they could have not repeated the same routines so much too. Big plus was the acting. It would have helped if they brought younger actors in to show their heydays.
Patti, I totally agree with you. I think if Coogan and Reilly made that ROBIN HOOD movie, it would have been way more fun than STAN & OLLIE.
I still will watch it when it gets to Netflix or HBO. Watch Coogan’s ROAD TRIP movies instead, with Rob Brydon (“Uncle Bryn” of GAVIN & STACEY). They are fun.
Jeff, I’m a big fan of both Steve Coogan and John C Reilly. They do a great job in STAN & OLLIE but the script is a downer.
I really, really disliked Laurel & Hardy films (same with Mark Brothers), so much so I couldn’t bear to watch them, and after all, since I disliked them so, why should I? So I certainly wouldn’t have seen this even if it had been praised to the skies.
Rick, how about Abbott & Costello or The Three Stooges?
No and no. That type of humor does not please me at all.
Rick-Don’t go to see THE L|PLAY THAT GOES WRONG. It is all that sort of humor.