Why clean your messy apartment when you can escape to your rich uncle's country cottage? It sounds like a good idea to the protagonists of 1987's Withnail and I. However, things aren't quite so simple for these two unemployed actors whose lives are endless strings of partially sedated chaos. Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant established themselves with this movie, their collaborative charisma making it a delightful experience.
In their squalid Camden flat, they reminded me of Holmes and Watson, if Holmes and no kind of useful genius. Withnail (Grant) certainly impresses himself.
McGann, as "and I", years before he starred on Doctor Who, was already rushing about in a panic, just trying to manage Withnail or his own high (the two are invariably under the influence of prodigious quantities of drugs and alcohol).
Withnail's uncle is a windbag named Monty (Richard Griffiths) who has designs on sleeping with McGann's character and shows up at the cottage to do so. Aside from that and a menacing poacher named Jake, I envied Withnail and his friend's countryside refuge. Even Monty is a charming companion before he tries to assault McGann.
Withnail and I is available on The Criterion Channel this month as part of their Handmade Films playlist.
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