Is
someone still talking at the back?
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The
Parole Officer is the latest British comedy to hit the cinema.
It's just unfortunate it's not that good.
Paul Sims
But in
all honesty it's not that bad either.
Whilst
watching the film I thought of the John Cleese film 'Clockwise',
and the Morcambe and Wise films. It was a real feel good movie
but seeing Coogan in the role of Simon Garden I felt myself
wanting him to be Alan Partridge.
It wasn't
that the Simon Garden character wasn't funny. He had his moments
- just not as many as Alan.
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| Steve
Coogan |
The basic
story is about Simon Garden (Steve Coogan) a
Blackpool parole officer who's only had three successful clients
go 'straight' out of 500.
His work
colleagues have him transferred to Manchester, because he
is so annoying (although Simon claims it's a personality clash
with someone in the office, to which the reply "The letter
is signed by everyone in the office" comes back).
In his new position this well meaning but ultimately annoying
character finds himself framed for a murder he didn't commit
by bent copper DI Burton (Stephen Dillane).
The one
piece of evidence that will prove Simon's innocence is locked
away in a bank vault, so he assembles his ex-clients and persuades
them to break in and steal it.
What follows
is a feel good, heist movie with a likeable team played by
Om
Puri, Ben Miller, Steven Waddington and Emma Williams as Simon's
gang.
They're
helped along by a shadowy figure played by Omar Sharif, and
I must admit that one thing going for the film is we want
the heroes to win, even if they don't provide as many laughs
as they could.
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| Lena
Headey |
Lena Headey
plays police officer, Emma who sees through Simons annoying
traits and as well as helping the gang, falls for Simon.
Well that's
one thing Alan Partridge never got.
Certainly
not the macho hero, Garden is always desperate to avoid getting
a beating, to the point of attempting to bribe his assailants.
鈥淚n my wallet, I鈥檝e got 拢40,鈥 he tells a dastardly duo. 鈥淭hat鈥檚
twenty each.鈥
As I say
Coogan as Simon Garden has his moments - just not as many
as he could have.
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