#25 Watch Withnail & I (Complete)

"Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day. And for once I'm inclined to believe that Withnail is right. We are indeed drifting into the arena of the unwell. Making an enemy of our own future. What we need is harmony, fresh air, stuff like that."

I now suspect that not laughing at a comedy can reveal a lot about yourself. For me the first 20 mins of Withnail & I was viewed slightly horrifically behind the filter of what perhaps was my own 20 something despondency to life viewing what happens when the rut is never ending. Almost like an adult fable. This was coupled by the fact that even behind the glowing sterile sheen of my screen the grit of the most terrifying flat I've ever seen, actually made me hide behind my duvet as I feared for the rat breeding piles of washing, yellow tongue inducing and drug infested lifestyle of Withnail & Marwood (I).

Watching Withnail, I quickly made a link with Black Books, one of my favorite comedies, and hoped it would carry the same surreal comments that only a raging selfish alcoholic like Bernard Black can produce. Happily, I can say, that was exactly the case. I can actually pin point when this happened which was when Danny leaves uttering the brilliant line of "I was leaving anyway. Have either of you got shoes??"

Withnail & I, will first draw you in with it's beautiful sad shots that rival any remake of Wuthering Heights, but in the end it's the most incredible writing, and beautiful coupling of Etonian prose with frank hilarious utterances, which will make you fall in love with this clever and funny film. 

I should also mention I was ready to go to sleep and flick over to catching up on 8/10 cats before I watched this film. So, in case you're like me and don't want to invest your time in what looks like (and is really) a meaty film -do! You will never be bored and you will be glad you did.

images source: myreviewer

Verdict; well since Withnail & I acted as an effective fable of the quarter age crisis (even if it was on speed), I would say this was a very good resolution for 2014. That and the fact that I now have these beautiful lines forever stored away;

stained with the butter drips of crumpets

the sky is bruised