What We Did On Our Holiday was billed as British comedy at its best, and I watched this creation from the Outnumbered creators with high expectations. What We Did... definitely did not disappoint. Why? Well, let's dig in.
I attended the world premiere in Leicester Square, and sharing the cinema screen with screen legends like Billy Connolly and Clive Anderson was a bit daunting to begin with. My inner fangirl will tell you that me and David Tennant shared many a moment of lingering eye contact (he was my childhood crush after all), but in reality it was more awkward eye contact with the now-very-tall Daniel Roche, aka Ben from Outnumbered, and accidentally obstructing Ben Miller on the red carpet. Inside the cinema, it was great having a full cinema of laughter (the unashamed laughter of screen greats and screen enthusiasts like myself!)
as it is a very, very, very funny film.
Laughter is not all you can expect, however. I am very cautious not to give away too much about What We Did..., for reasons you will surely find out upon watching the film yourself. It follows the story of Doug and Abi McLeod and their three children travelling to the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The story of a dysfunctional family is explored within the first five minutes of screen time and as time goes on, you discover more and more secrets and lies and troubles and rivalries that many families may be able to identify with. Yes, there are clever quips and hilarious scenes which will make you cry (yes, cry) with laughter, but there's also a lot of serious issues. The underlying theme, I found, is the questioning of the idea that 'grown-ups' are the sensible ones and the kids are the silly ones. What if the roles were reversed? What if it all changes with a holiday?
David Tennant and Rosamund Pike do a great job as the parents - the woman of the moment is definitely Pike, who is making headlines with her upcoming performance in Gone Girl. Billy Connolly is also hilarious as the kooky grandfather with his inner child and the cheeky spark in his eye. Ben Miller and Celia Imrie play their characters well; look out for a particular YouTube viral moment courtesy of Imrie... However, many critics will agree that the stars of the show are the kids, who reminded me so strongly of young Karen from Outnumbered. (Speaking of whom, a very grown-up looking Ramona Marquez was in my row sporting a funky black and blonde hair-do. I digress...) Although they are slightly, dare I say it, annoying at times, they are truly great performers with a raw honesty you simply cannot find with all child actors.
What We Did... is not only clever in script, but also in the way it deals with everything it deals with. Sure, it is definitely not perfect and I still struggle to sum up the "gist" of the film, and there are many elements that would make strong TV and therefore feels somewhat experimental in a 90-odd minute film...but it could not possibly take away from the fact that it was a very enjoyable film. It's crazy and insane and a brainturner (if that is a word), and predictable at times. Yet it still manages to deal with real family issues in a different way which will make you simultaneously chuckle whilst internally yelling "what on earth!?". Things are frank and surprisingly dark, but then again, life is frank. Families are not perfect - even if David Tennant is your father. I mentioned at the start that it has been billed as a comedy, but it also has many elements of a drama. It'll make you think, rethink, laugh, cry, cry of laughter and every bizarre emotion inbetween. Which makes it kinda great, if you think about it.
A few snaps from the premiere...
A few snaps from the premiere...
- Friday, October 03, 2014
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