No One Feels Sorry For Laurel and Hardy
‘Stan and Ollie’ Breaks Out The Tiny Showbiz Violins
I went into Stan and Ollie knowing about as much as almost anyone does about Laurel and Hardy. They were a famous comedy duo from the 1920s, one was fat and one thin, and they did sketches and songs to roaring approval from crowds. If expect to learn much more than that from this film, you’ll be disappointed.
Stan and Ollie follows Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Hardy (John C. Reilly) on a revival tour of sorts throughout the U.K. We see a brief glimpse of the pair at the height of their fame, but we quickly jump 16 years to the 1950s. Now they’re swimming near the bottom of the showbiz pool with a sleazy tour manager, staying in seedy motels, and playing small theaters.
The film smartly focuses on a small slice of the duo’s lives, something more biopics should do. But maybe they didn’t choose the most interesting slice. Comedy has changed in the intervening 60-plus years, and no matter how many times you show me a crowd screaming with laughter watching an old sketch, I won’t be convinced to laugh along. This movie features a LOT of scenes like that, which one would expect. It plays a little dull.
STAN AND OLLIE ★★ (2/5 stars)
Directed by: Jon S. Baird
Written by: Jeff Pope
Starring: John C. Reilly, Steve Coogan, Shirley Henderson, Nina Arianda
Running time: 97 min.
The old sketches retain some charm, of course, but they lack the bust-a-gut humor they once had. The film also has an overly dramatic score that creates a very weird tone. The sinister background music makes it seem like someone is about to be murdered, but the main concern is “Oh no! Will these men be able to sell enough tickets for this tour?” Public appearances to generate interest are treated as shameful instead of commonplace. When the biggest worry is filling seats, that’s not a tragedy.
Stan and Ollie contains a sad bit of rejection, when Stan attempts to meet directly with a movie producer about a Laurel and Hardy version of Robin Hood. The producer coldly turns him down, and it feels wistful, but I couldn’t bring myself to care that much. Laurel and Hardy made 120 movies.
Their partnership breaks apart as old grudges resurface, but there’s very little drama in this bloodless feud. That’s fine–not every story needs over-the-top drama– but the film tries to make a banquest out of a simple meal. Laurel feels bitter that Hardy made a movie without him, and Hardy feels bitter that Laurel tried to negotiate their contract. It’s a bummer, but it’s not the cinematic thriller for which the score seems written.
Bright spots in Stan and Ollie include the performer’s wives, who almost function as their own double act. Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda) is hilarious as Stan’s tough Russian wife, and her refusal to sit next to the sleazy tour manager at every opportunity is great comedy. She and Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) have wonderful chemistry as two women forced to endure each other because of circumstance.
Reilly and Coogan give excellent performances. They portray a genuine and sweet friendship between Laurel and Hardy. But the movie simply lacks any real interest. Performers lose favor with the public all the time. Studios shelve movies more often than they make them. In 2019, it’s hard to muster any enthusiasm for a 1930s comedy duo trying for one last shot at glory.
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I’ve seen the movie as well as studied up a bit on the duo. While it is not “spectacular”, nor charasmatic compared to modern day standards, yet it is a solid representation of the comedy duo. I do like the delving into their personal relations (which as always said to be close), and the wives were a nice act put into the movie. As far as comedy goes you Miss Clifford should take a note from these two as any comedian should. Their ability to entertain based off simple comedy is quite brilliant. The movie alone holds decent weight, yet with just a little background on the two there is potential for a nice representation of a beloved team from the early 20th Century. Perhaps showing them in their prime for the entire movie could have shed some light on a forgotten gem.
Ms. Clifford couldn’t make a success of her career so she turned to putting down the kind of simple and brilliantly done comedy she can never accomplish or comprehend. It was a different time and a lost art form. I imagine she would also find Chaplin dull. Frankly I think Ms. Clifford plays a bit dull.
Maybe you should have someone read your work for grammatical errors before posting. It also seems that you are bemoaning their status as comedy icons as much as you are substance of this movie.
I agree it’s a bit short on substance, but it’s a nice look into them as human performers and not the comedic archetypes they have become.
You have no business being a film critic! This was a wonderful movie . Superbly acted and full of real emotion, you ma’am are a boob.
Yes I totally agree hmmmmphhhhh .
I just finished watching the movie and I wished it went longer . Laurel and Hardy were a Magnificent duo !!
Screw you Kristin, sounds like you failed at comedy and now you’re bitter about it. Jealous of two of the greatest comedians to ever live? Of course this movie isn’t going to interest the general public, it’s more tailored for people who are interested in Laurel and Hardy’s lives. You want a mindless, easy to follow movie go see some dumb chick flick.
Wow. You should be ashamed to call yourself a “critic”. And your editors should be fired for allowing you to “publish” this tripe. As one who grew up at the very tail end of their rein as comedy kings, I can unashamedly say this movie was an emotional and critical success. Allowing someone like you to critique this movie is the same as allowing a 90 year old to critique an iPhone. You have no idea of where it sits in America’s timeline and cannot, therefore, judge it. Stick to topics of which you have some minuscule knowledge.