Stan & Ollie

Ten Second Review: A sweet and easy watch that tells the interesting story of Laurel and Hardy’s last tour. While very enjoyable, it is probably best watched by someone who has some investment in the comedy duo already.

I have a very limited knowledge of Laurel & Hardy. I know they were a comedy duo, I know that they are one of the most worshipped influences in all of comedy and I know that most comedy acts today owe them a debt for the the films and styles they crafted. To be perfectly honest I’ve only ever seen one or two of their films and the occasional clip here and there. Going into this biopic I wasn’t sure what I would be seeing and whether or not it would matter to me.

The film opens in the mid 1930s when the pair were still working at the Hal Roach company. Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) wants to the leave the studio in favour of better deal elsewhere but Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly) is stuck under contract so can’t leave. The film then jumps forward sixteen years and into their final tour that begins in a small theatre in Newcastle. As the film goes on we get a clearer picture of what transpired between the two in the sixteen years we have missed. As their health declines and the two men come to terms with their age we see their friendship challenged and re-blossom.

While I had my reservations about whether or not I would enjoy the film, I’m glad to say that it was a very pleasant watch. It wasn’t excessively gripping but it was an easy and intriguing story that lead me down a rabbit whole of their career. If your not versed in their work or history then it might peak your interest in their lives.

Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly do very well as the comedy kings and their chemistry is the highlight of the film. You truly feel like you are watching two friends go back and fourth and this is not only a strength of the actors but of the script too. There are whole scenes that are played out exclusively for jokes in the style that Laurel and Hardy would do and having these scenes really bridged a gap between watching a Laurel and Hardy film and a bio-pic. If you’ve never seen their work, this will give you a flavour of what they did while not telling all their best jokes so you can enjoy going back and watch the originals. Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson also put in great performances and sort of become their own double act as the film progresses. While the film might not be directly about them they do mange to make each scene they are in entirely their own.

I do think that a modern audience might not all respond well to their comedy feeling that it looks and sounds tired or unsophisticated but I think you have to put yourself in mind of a viewer in the 20s, 30s or 40s who was seeing and hearing these gags for the first time. It might not stand out joke for joke but with that historical weight, you can watch it with appreciation for their influence on the genre of comedy and the medium of film.

I do think that this film would be received better by fans of the double act or people who grew up watching it but I also think there is something here for a general viewer. It might not be an amazing piece of cinema and I might not rave about it in any great manner but I would say that if it is on television in the next year or so, then it would be a delightful afternoon watch. At its heart its a story about two friends, their relationship and their interactions and I think there’s something in that story that everyone could enjoy.