DVD Review: The Inbetweeners Movie

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After a handful of seasons of remarkable comedy the British television series The Inbetweeners found itself finished but with perhaps the biggest indignity of them all: an American remake crafted by MTV that managed to duplicate its plots but somehow suck all of the comedy out. Thus comes a proper conclusion to the series in The Inbetweeners Movie, a proper raunchy sex comedy that puts the entire American Pie series to shame by actually being really funny.

Will (Simon Bird), Jay (James Buckley), Neil (Blake Harrison) and Simon (Joe Thomas) have finished up high school and are preparing for the next step in their lives. Within the final week of their graduation from high school Neil is dumped by his girlfriend, Jay’s grandfather dies and Will’s father marries a girl he could’ve gone to high school with. So they do what any group of teenagers do in the movies: go on holiday to chase girls and drink as much as humanly possible.

It’s also remarkably funny, too, which is never a bad thing.

With the original cast still young enough to play high school graduates, a director from the television show and the series creators writing it this is a film that understands its roots in television but isn’t quite married to them, either. We are introduced quickly to our characters and establish their behaviors enough to understand them, especially for those who haven’t watched the British series or only know the rancid nature of the American on, but you don’t need to have seen the British show to be able to understand everyone early on.

It’s not completely dependent on having seen the television show as it’s designed like a traditional high school sex comedy with a background to be seen for those inclined. We’ve seen them go through those awkward teenage years already and don’t need them to be rehashed in cinematic form. This is an extension of the show more than just an extended episode, which most shows turned movies end up being, as this is a grand finale that explores that final moment between being a high school student and the last transition of life: into adulthood.

The Inbetweeners film is interesting in that regard. While it’s a sex comedy designed for the younger set there are also a handful of moments, and the film’s finale, where being overgrown ends and normal sized adults begins (for lack of better terms) gets explored.

There’s a commentary with all four cast members in it, a generic making of piece, the usual deleted scenes and blooper reel.

This is the sort of film that the American Pie franchise, for all its box office glory, wishes it could be.

Lionsgate presents The Inbetweeners Movie . Directed by Ben Palmer. Written by Damon Beesley, Iain Morris. Starring Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley, Blake Harrison. Running time: 96 minutes. Rated R. Released: January 8, 2013. Available at Amazon.com.