Withnail and I

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Withnail and I

R

1987

1h 42m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

40 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Two out-of-work actors -- the anxious, luckless Marwood (Paul McGann) and his acerbic, alcoholic friend, Withnail (Richard E. Grant) -- spend their days drifting between their squalid flat, the unemployment office and the pub. When they take a holiday "by mistake" at the country house of Withnail's flamboyantly gay uncle, Monty (Richard Griffiths), they encounter the unpleasant side of the English countryside: tedium, terrifying locals and torrential rain.

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Critics Consensus

Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann prove irresistibly hilarious as two misanthropic slackers in Withnail and I, a biting examination of artists living on the fringes of prosperity and good taste.

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Tom Huddleston

Time Out

As the years pass, it's Robinson's mastery of tone that makes Withnail endure, that rich, sweet sadness that permeates every frame.

Rated: 5/5

Dec 12, 2024

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Joel Siegel

Chicago Reader

Withnail and I is more than passably diverting and surely preferable to mindless Hollywood summer movies. But it left me hungry to know much more about its characters and their era than the writer-director seems interested in providing.

Rated: 2/4

May 9, 2022

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 5/5

Sep 11, 2007

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The entertainment value is reserved almost exclusively for viewers familiar with, and amused by, England in the late ’60s, as well as those who could see it contemporarily, where its unorthodox structuring was most original.

Rated: 6/10

Nov 8, 2024

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Romey Norton

Film Focus Online

Withnail and I is a 5 star film for me, what is it missing? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Unintentionally it’s teaching its audience so much about life, friendship, and the British, and gives a lesson in acting and writing.

Rated: 5/5

Jul 22, 2024

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Alex Denney

NME (New Musical Express)

A brilliantly funny, enduring classic with an unforgettable performance from Richard E Grant.

Rated: 5/5

Apr 22, 2021

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Audience Member

Top-notch film. An absolute riot. From an era where cinema was theatre brought to screen. Wonderfully acted tale of two young struggling actors wasting away in downtown London in the 1960s who seek solace in the English countryside and find themselves befuddled and inspired by the struggles and adventures of rural life. Full of humor, intelligent and witty dialogue, and whimsical wonder.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/25

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Acerz W

An ok film, rather slow and bit boring by modern standards, characters are very one dimensional and typical london student types, there is no overarching meaning to be taken from the very simple story. Good acting but not hard roles.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/09/24

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Audience Member

Not one single piece of dialogue is wasted. Every line is a quote. I first saw this film thirty years ago and it remains a masterpiece.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/27/24

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Paul G

Having read how hilarious the film is I have wasted time in seeing it until now 2024 but after 65 minutes I have not laughed once. I find it so far a cringe and although Mcgann is good Grants performance is so ott and painful. Should have rented or missed completely but alas I wasted £6 buying something I will never ever ever watch again

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

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No R

Pretty brilliant casting and character development on the way through their urban & rural trials. Plus Richard Starkey, OBE !

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/29/24

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Richard L

Like a stream-of-consciousness art project. Entertaining, but not especially memorable.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

06/05/24

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Bruce Robinson

Director

Richard E. Grant

Withnail

Paul McGann

Peter Marwood

Richard Griffiths

Monty

Ralph Brown

Danny

Michael Elphick

Jake

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Synopsis

Two out-of-work actors -- the anxious, luckless Marwood (Paul McGann) and his acerbic, alcoholic friend, Withnail (Richard E. Grant) -- spend their days drifting between their squalid flat, the unemployment office and the pub. When they take a holiday "by mistake" at the country house of Withnail's flamboyantly gay uncle, Monty (Richard Griffiths), they encounter the unpleasant side of the English countryside: tedium, terrifying locals and torrential rain.

Director: Bruce Robinson
Producer: Paul M. Heller
Screenwriter: Bruce Robinson
Production Co: Cineplex-Odeon Films
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2020
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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