'Stan And Ollie' Review- Laurel And Hardy Take England

This film was released in 2018.

Stan & Ollie is comedy biopic directed by Jon S. Baird and written by Jeff Pope. It tells the story of famed comedians Laurel and Hardy in their final tour in the United Kingdom.

In 1953, comedians Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Ollie Hardy (John C. Reilly) arrive in the United Kingdom. They embark on a stage tour, which will serve to convince British producers to finance a Robin Hood film with the duo. At first, their crowds are small, but after doing some publicity, the theaters get packed. However, tensions continue to rise between the two, culminating in an argument in front of their wives, Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) and Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda).

Based on the book, Laurel and Hardy: The British Tours by A.J. Marriot, the film plays a bit fast and loose with history. For example, the plot makes it seem that Stan held a grudge against Ollie for making a comedy with a different comedian, and while it was initially true, they had long made up, leaving one studio for another as team.

That being noted, this is a genuine drama. Genuine in the sense that it does not play off cheap tricks, but truly compels you. It follows two friends, comedians you might know. I would watch Laurel and Hardy on a cable network with my grandparents, and I laughed right along. They brought us good memories and moments of joy, so seeing them work when they were not on stage was interesting.

Part of what made it so compelling was the performances of Coogan and Reilly. The two of them do excellently in their roles and have excellent chemistry. They do a good job of embodying the figures of Laurel and Hardy, showing their skills and their unique sense of humor.

Once you start this movie, I do not think you will be able to stop it. The story of Laurel and Hardy is a fascinating one. Their friendship, their pitfalls, their personal lives, and their legacy are all looked at from the framework of their final tour together.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the sets and fashion. The filmmakers do a fantastic job of making you feel that you are in the 1950s UK. It had a sense of realism that only added to what made this story so genuine. I applaud the team that worked on this, and that is an unnoticed part of this movie.

Bottom line, Stan & Ollie is a compelling drama that approaches the legacy of Laurel and Hardy with genuine admiration.

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Foul language, Comedic violence, Substance abuse

FAVORITE QUOTE: You know, when you watch our movies, nobody else in the stories knows us, and we don't know anybody either. It was just the two of us. All we had was each other.

Check out the trailer below:

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Tell me if there is a comic book, movie, novel, or anime you would like me to review.