The Inbebrogures: The Movie

M: We have 40 posts?

J: This year?

M: No, like all time...

J: I feel like this blog kind of defines our mid-twenties.

M: Are you typing this?

J: I am now! Mere, what are we doing here?

M: Well! We are gathered here today... or were gathered here...

M2: I can watch this with headphones on [referring to It's Always Sunny...]

J: Yeah, that would be greeeeeat...

On holiday! Note the excellent spray tan.

M2: [Settles into chair with headphones] I feel like it's absurd that I have to do this. Put that in the f*ckin' blog. [laughs]

M: I do love this show, though. If they only had brogues...

J: You were saying...

M: Yes! We gathered here this evening to watch The Inbetweeners Movie. And it. Was. Something.

J: Ya know, I really liked it. That might be the gin talking, but I really felt like it represented a lot of those angsty high-school feels that you tend to forget about as you get older. However, it was unforgivably unrealistic.

Not kidding. "Pussay Patrol."

M: [nods] I, for one, was very pleased to see how consistent it was with the original show. I hate when something goes to movie format, and the characters are all wrong!

J: That happened a bit with Firefly, but not too much. As Matt said, this really was like an "end of season special" or something. Two hours of nothing but raunchy fun, oddly apt life lessons, and delicious young British brogue. Wait. That came out wrong. All wrong. I take it back.

M: [still laughing] [dies] Anyways... man, that's hard to follow. I heard a rumor somewhere, most likely the internet, where all the things come from, that there may, in fact, be a second movie in the works. I would be very interested to just see more episodes or seasons of the show, as it is very entertaining.

J: Has it been cancelled? Is that why they're making movies?

Their first mistake.

M: I have no idea, honestly. British TV programming I've yet to figure out. I'd really like to see some more Downton Abbey.

M2: [laughs sporadically] It's 'cause he's not drunk enough to punch this board.

J: Back to the point at hand, The Inbetweeners Movie was absolutely hilarious, though as Matt pointed out, right on par with The 40-Year-Old Virgin in terms of awkwardness. Somehow their youth (and maybe their brogues) made it a bit easier to stomach.

M: And your boy Will was hilarious. Like, his character is hilarious in the show as it is, but I feel like he really stepped it up a lot in the movie. And apparently they're going to be in multiple sitcoms soon that look to be hilarious. But, of course, they're in England so we will not see them for another couple years at least, because the ocean is very large.

M2: [giggles]

J: Those ships, you know, they just take forever to get here. And yes, Will seems to be an excellent amalgamation of many people I know, myself included. All the boys seem to come out on top, which is an unlikely but satisfying end to the movie, especially given its start.

M2: "Go put on those little short shorts and let's take things to the next level." [laughs]

M: Okay. So we've got about 10 minutes. Anything to, ah... [raises hands]... sorry, to add for our conclusion?

J: Definitely worth the watch if you liked the show at all! 

M: Absolutely.

The infamous fishbowl.
Drink it in, it always goes down smooth!

J: And if you haven't seen it, this movie would be an excellent introduction, though maybe start with the show. There were just a few vague plot points that began with the series.

M: Quite right.

J: And we are, of course, looking forward to the next offerings, including a comedy set in WWI, oddly enough. 

M: A strange setting for comedy at first glance, but I do think it has potential.

J: And now, to trivia!!!!! Fear not, faithful readers, we have a plan in store for our next feature.

M: We do?

J: Yeah, you dummy, the movie this weekend!

M: I honestly forgot.

J: It's none other than Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, our reincarnated soul mates! 

M: I can't wait till we grow up to be them.

J: Which one will be which is, of course, still a mystery.

M: [laughs into the sunset]

Bright Young Brogues

J: Are you ready for our rendez-vous?

M: You know what I just realized? We are drinking ginger pineapple-infused vodka with ginger beer at the Pig and it just so happens that one of your favorite characters in the film we just watched is also called "Ginger." Round and round or full circle or something.

J: Oh my god, she did! I mean, you're right! In this move, called Bright Young Things (an adaptation of the novel Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh), I was delightfully surprised by the appearance of my favorite Scottish person ever, David Tennant. In this movie, as in Dr. Who, he was British. In this movie, unlike in Dr. Who, he was smarmy and cowardly.

M: [shrugs] But clever and cheeky and ginger-y. Also, I like that you have a favorite Scottish person.

J: I totally do. Who was your favorite character?

M: Can I have two favorites?

J: [sighs] I suppooooose...

I do say!

M: Or does having two sort of discount the concept of a favorite?

J: BWAB gets metaphorical.

M: Anyways, my favorite character was probably Miles. Michael Sheen is, well he's Brian Clough, the coach of Leeds United in a movie called Damned United. But in any case, he's also amazing, and I was quite impressed in this film in particular.

J: I loved him, too. His facial expressions were inspiring, and you definitely wanted to be besties with his character.

Michael Sheen, in all his gloriousness.

M: [nods head] My second favorite character was Adam, played by Stephen Campbell Moore, who made a much better impression on me in this film than in his lukewarm turn in The History Boys.

J: He really was sort of unremarkable before, wasn't he? I liked him here, too, especially his persistent optimism.

M: And his budget Jude Law-ish-ness.

J: Good call. How about a brief run-down of the plot?

M: It's like, Great Gatsby meets Benjamin Button meets the tiniest bit of Moulin Rouge, all but the singing.

The gang, doin' their thang. 

J: We really did think they were going to break into song a few times, especially Dan Aykroyd, who makes an odd and unconvincing appearance as a hard-ass Canadian and/or American (because we can't remember) newspaper tycoon. The movie meanders through London in the twenties, following a group of "bright young things," or lascivious and decadent young partiers with terrible cocaine habits. The movie's central characters are Adam and Nina, both poor but attractive socialites, and as time goes by Adam makes and loses money like it's his job. His job is that of a writer, and he takes a brief turn as "Mr. Chatterbox," a gossip columnist.

M: Okay, can we talk about Mr. Chatterbox? Because wow James MacAvoy.

J: I know! I was so pleased to see him... at first...

M: It almost ruined my whole day today.

J: It totally did. She texted me about it. Not joking.

M: Anyways, I guess that's really all I had to say about that. But speaking of brogues, Emily whats-her-face...

Oh dahling, don't.

J: Mortimer.

M: I loved her weird brogue thing! She was perfect in Match Point. And the way she says "papa-r," incredible. I'm so jealous!

J: I can't even do it. [tries]

M: [also tries] I can't either. It's so... British.

J: We really liked this movie, even when the plot was, ah, less than clear. Stephen Fry directed and adapted the novel for screen, and it was excellent.

M: He is delightful.

J: Nearly everyone British ever is in this movie. Not even kidding.

M: Just about! So, Jenna, is there anything that you'd like to add in closing? Observations about the film? About life? [shrugs nonchalantly]

That headpiece! Those smokey eyes! I die.

J: As I mentioned in our Downton Abbey post, I adore twenties-era costume jewelry and dress. The brogues were particularly good here, and we even had to rewind it a couple of times to make sense of the dialogue. In fact, I believe the English subtitles were on when we first started it!

M: They were indeed.

J: Also, a shout-out again to Brits for renting us this delightful romp.

M: We'd also really like to see The Inbetweeners, the movie. If you'd like to say, purchase a copy for your rental section, we wouldn't be opposed. Though we do understand it's probably not for everyone. I'm just curious at this point.

J: As well you should be! I'd like to see it, too.

M: Well, then. I suppose that's it.

J: I just thought we had more to say...

M: Story of my life. God, I blame this music. It's just so somber!

J: What? What did you say? I fell asleep just now.

Vroom vroom, mother-f*ckers.

M: Don't mind me, I'm just crying over here. We need to end this. But again, on a high note.

J: The table, then?

M: [laughs] Maybe this time!

J: Bright Young Things! Worth it! Attractive British people! Excellent brogues! A decent plot and a moving...uh... theme! Poor and happy is better than rich and depressed. Boom. There it is.

M: Uh... [stirs drink]... uh...

J: Till next time!

Now for a little bit of Scouse...

M: While Jenna is busy playing with boxes and moving things from one house to another, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share with you a video of my own choosing. An 'answer,' of sorts, to her David Tennant sonnet-reading selection. 

First of all, it seems telling that one of the first videos to come up in a quick YouTube search for Jamie Carragher is titled, "Jamie Carragher Butchers the English Language (with subtitles)."

Personally, I don't think he "butchers" it so much as makes it painfully (delightfully) obvious that he's from Liverpool. Well, Bootle... Anyways, enjoy!

Practically hypnotic...

And because Jenna isn't here to stop me, here's another video to point out that even English people puzzle over Carra. It also happens to feature Mr. Jordan Henderson and his lovely Sunderland accent. Personally, I enjoy the occasional 'me' in place of 'my'....

(And for the record, Darren Farley does some pretty exceptional impressions...)

Ok, I'll stop for now. See you next time on BWAB!