Withnail and I
Withnail and I
•
1h 47m
Directed by Bruce Robinson • 1986 • United Kingdom
Starring Paul McGann, Richard E. Grant, Richard Griffiths
The ultimate cult British comedy, Bruce Robinson’s semi-autobiographical cinematic bender is a feast of delectably florid dialogue delivered with deadpan relish by stars Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann as, respectively, Withnail and “I,” a pair of perpetually soused, unemployed actors in 1960s London who, desperate to escape their nightmarishly grimy flat, embark on a hilariously misbegotten country getaway beset by menacing locals, bare cupboards, and a randy uncle—all of which they may be able to withstand as long as they don’t run out of alcohol. While Robinson’s dazzling script yields quotable moments galore, it’s the film’s bittersweet evocation of a friendship gradually unraveling that gives this beloved end-of-youth tale its lasting poignancy.
Up Next in Withnail and I
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Bruce Robinson Commentary
This commentary track, recorded in 2020 for an Esquire UK live-stream, features director Bruce Robinson answering questions from viewers.
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Ralph Brown and Paul McGann Commentary
This commentary track, recorded in 2001, features actors Ralph Brown and Paul McGann.
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Bruce Robinson and Richard E. Grant Q...
In 2017, writer-director Bruce Robinson and actor Richard E. Grant participated in the following Q&A at the British Film Institute— moderated by the BFI’s programmer of cinema and events, Justin Johnson—for the thirtieth anniversary of WITHNAIL AND I.
