(In)between Malia and a hard place… The Inbetweeners Movie

The Inbetweeners Movie

So to a film which has a very specific audience of extremely dedicated followers, I count myself as one of these people. With this in mind, I will try as hard as I can to keep my review as objective as possible, I can’t promise not to use the word clunge… or pussay though.

I actually started writing this review yesterday, after my first viewing. Somehow, though, after worrying I might not see it at all this week, I’ve managed to end up watching it twice, 2 days in a row! Never in my life have I been to the cinema 2 days in a row, especially not to see the same film. I’d say that’s praise of the highest order, so if you’re in two minds, stop reading here and get down to the cinema. I’m not exaggerating about going now either. despite being in the largest screen on both occasions, the Cinema was packed.

If you need to read a review of this film, it might not be for you if I’m honest. With the target audience generally the 18-30 category, this film ticks all the boxes, both from the audience and production company’s point of view. It’s a nailed on, must see film for all of us who still feel like we’re still living the four boys’ lives and it is hardly a hollywood blockbuster in terms of budget. My flabber will be ghasted beyond belief if the makers of this film didn’t make the entire budget of the film back within a week.

Anyway, ignoring all that, this film is a clunge fest in every sense of the word. The boys, after leaving school head off on what can only be described as the ultimate coming of age holiday, a trip to Malia, the party capital of Crete.

I’m not going to spoil it for you by giving away the story, partly because there isn’t much of one, but let’s be sensible, the last 3 series’ despite charting the pitfalls of 6th form didn’t have a great deal of that either.

I think that with such a successful series, the pressure is on when making a film, hence the title of this review. My own biggest concern was that we’d end up with a bit of a ‘Kevin & Perry Go Large’. With a similar theme (teenagers on holiday) it could have all gone horribly wrong. In reality, though, Kevin & Perry were caricatures played by middle-aged men in short sketches, meaning that other than the odd huff, there wasn’t actually much there to base the film on. The Inbetweeners is a well written programme with a good back catalogue and well-developed characters played by actors not much older. I should have known, I didn’t need to worry.

Other than that, perhaps the biggest danger is that we’d end up with one long episode and whilst there are worse things in the world, is that something you really need to go to the cinema for? Well in this case yes. If it is like an episode, it’s like one of the properly funny ones. The gags are non stop and there are plenty of themes to keep it entertaining. One or two genuinely classic memorable moments and enough of Jay’s bullshit to fill… something really big.

This is a film which not only leaves every teenager in the cinema talking about when to go to Malia, it leaves those of us in our late 20s and older pining for those days and wondering if we can get away with a trip of our own.

The real joy of The Inbetweeners, both in terms of the series and the film is that we can relate to all of them. We all knew a Jay and we all behaved just like Simon over a girl. Whilst all of them are probably a bit more polarised than we’d admit to being ourselves, nothing is so ridiculous that you can’t believe it might actually happen. That’s the joy of this type of film. As Charlotte said to me as we were walking out, The Hangover is hilarious for having things like a Tiger in the hotel room, but The Inbetweeners is funnier without it. We’ve all been there.

It’s simples then ;-p If you love The Inbetweeners, you need to see this film, immediately. If you aren’t bothered, then don’t bother and if you’ve never heard of The Inbetweeners, you really need to borrow my Series 1-3 box-set, watch them all this weekend and get down to the cinema before it’s too late!

5/5

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