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Rewatching The Inbetweeners after that anniversary horror show

Started by madhair60, January 07, 2019, 08:33:01 AM

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imitationleather

I think I have only seen the first film once, but my impression at the time was that it was absolutely terrible. From what I recall, it seemed to strip out all the mundane realism of the TV series and had a stupid unbelievable plot where they go to Spain and all find partners who are basically female versions of themselves. It was just stupid. And that fucking dancing scene is not funny, no matter how many times that anniversary show told me it was. I thought the second film was a big improvement because it seemed to have a budget of more than 50p and had actually been looked at and rewritten after the first draft to include more jokes. That said, I did rewatch that one a while back and once they get stuck in the desert it all dies on its arse a bit and becomes incredibly boring. It also did seem a bit lazy for them to use "the lads go on holiday!" as a plot twice. While I hate the bit with Will getting the shit in his face, the TV series did do gross out humour as well (them all being sick in the tent springs to mind), so it wasn't totally out of keeping with the tone of the show.

Still think the series is great, though. Maybe I will watch series 3 again at some point. I'm sure it'll seem better now than it did at the time.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Quote from: imitationleather on January 14, 2019, 04:03:53 PM
I think I have only seen the first film once, but my impression at the time was that it was absolutely terrible. From what I recall, it seemed to strip out all the mundane realism of the TV series and had a stupid unbelievable plot where they go to Spain and all find partners who are basically female versions of themselves.
If I remember rightly, it's only really Neil, the lanky thick one, that finds an exact match. The holiday plot is something of a cliche, but it's also a fairly typical thing for young lads to do after leaving school. It would probably have been more unrealistic for them to not do that.

St_Eddie

Quote from: imitationleather on January 14, 2019, 04:03:53 PM
I think I have only seen the first film once, but my impression at the time was that it was absolutely terrible. From what I recall, it seemed to strip out all the mundane realism of the TV series and had a stupid unbelievable plot where they go to Spain and all find partners who are basically female versions of themselves. It was just stupid. And that fucking dancing scene is not funny, no matter how many times that anniversary show told me it was. I thought the second film was a big improvement because it seemed to have a budget of more than 50p and had actually been looked at and rewritten after the first draft to include more jokes. That said, I did rewatch that one a while back and once they get stuck in the desert it all dies on its arse a bit and becomes incredibly boring. It also did seem a bit lazy for them to use "the lads go on holiday!" as a plot twice. While I hate the bit with Will getting the shit in his face, the TV series did do gross out humour as well (them all being sick in the tent springs to mind), so it wasn't totally out of keeping with the tone of the show.


I agree with all of this.  Very much so.

Jockice

I think Mr Gilbert's appearance near the end of the second film is the funniest thing in it.

magval

Not going to bother with the films again but watched all the telly episodes again so I could have a look at the reunion show (which was at worst rude and completely misjudged, like throwing the suitcase at them while they were telling an anecdote, and at best just flabby and boring and unfunny).

My absolute favourite moment from those 12 episodes is Jay, naked and hungover in Simon's car, making the girlfriend update "Bedebededeep" sound automatically the morning after Simon's split up with her, driving back. So unexpected at that point and astoundingly funny.

Third series is shit though. Too mean. Squirrel murder? Nah.

j_u_d_a_s

I'd agree the 3rd series was the weakest overall but there's still plenty to like within it. First two episodes, the fashion show and the gig & the girlfriend are both excellent. And even Will's Dilemma starts off well before being spoiled by Will acting like a hateful cunt towards the girl he's trying to get a bj from. The remaining 3 episodes are just forgettable, especially the last.

Totally baffled by the nonplussed reactions to the first movie though, it's a great film both as a finale to the series and in its own right. The scene where Jay realises he's going to be left behind is quietly devastating.
2nd one was too much like a standard episode but set in Australia and never feels like a film until the moment where it's quite likely they could all die.

What makes Inbetweeners so memorable for me is that there's a clear affection for these characters even in their lowest moments. Like Will shitting his pants in a test but owning it in a way that pretty much makes him bulletproof. I remember seeing the trailers and dismissing it as some crude BBC 3 alike teen sitcom filled with wanking jokes. But on actually watching it I was surprised at how charming it actually is.

St_Eddie

Quote from: j_u_d_a_s on January 16, 2019, 12:24:17 PM
Totally baffled by the nonplussed reactions to the first movie though, it's a great film both as a finale to the series and in its own right. The scene where Jay realises he's going to be left behind is quietly devastating.
2nd one was too much like a standard episode but set in Australia and never feels like a film until the moment where it's quite likely they could all die.

You see, this is exactly why I don't like the films; because I like The Inbetweeners when it's low key and grounded in relative reality.  The moment it becomes a film with proper character arcs and a plot which allows them to jet off to foreign countries, with each of them meeting a love interest where everything works out in the end and has big set piece moments and yadda yadda yadda, is the moment I check out.

Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth

Quote from: j_u_d_a_s on January 16, 2019, 12:24:17 PM
What makes Inbetweeners so memorable for me is that there's a clear affection for these characters even in their lowest moments. Like Will shitting his pants in a test but owning it in a way that pretty much makes him bulletproof.
That rang a false note for me. He might try to laugh it off, but he'd never get away with it. Especially in the age of social media. He'd forever be the kid that shat himself in an exam.

Mobius

He doesn't. It's brought up nearly every time he meets someone new.

I like the gig episode. Jay smoking is great

DrGreggles

Quote from: Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth on January 16, 2019, 09:17:11 PM
That rang a false note for me. He might try to laugh it off, but he'd never get away with it. Especially in the age of social media. He'd forever be the kid that shat himself in an exam.

A guy I was at school with shat himself in a lift.
Can't remember his name, but I can remember his nickname.

Jockice

I have mentioned this before, but a lad in my year that himself in a games lesson in the gym when we were around 14. Apparently anyway. I was never in the same class as him for anything.

But, as with Will, it was brought up at every available opportunity by everyone until the day he left. Like a lad in the year below who got accidentally hit in the face by a girl throwing a brick it was what he was famous for. Dylan's shitting himself, Tito's bricking it etc.

Haven't a clue what happened to Tito (his real first name, combined with a very plain English surname) but Dylan (his nickname, based on his surname) later became the first kid from my year to die, at least as far as I aware, of cancer in his late 30s. Even though I hardly knew him I still found it pretty sad.

St_Eddie

Quote from: DrGreggles on January 16, 2019, 09:35:39 PM
A guy I was at school with shat himself in a lift.
Can't remember his name, but I can remember his nickname.

'Sir Shits A Lot' is now the CEO of an absolutely enormous company.  It has many lifts.  Only some of those lifts are now filled with shit.

DrGreggles