Alan Partridge

I love Alan Partridge. Great show. Great character. He is a man for the ages... However, all series do not translate well into film, and if you're like me, you're hopeful but hesitant.

Well, I'm happy to say that the film preserves the characters, humor and dynamics of the show. Although in the first fifteen minutes or so I wasn't quite 'sold' that this is the Alan I know, the Alan I've come to love; the film really finds it's stride once the siege starts.

We've seen peevish Alan. We've seen cowardly Alan. It is only now--in this film--that we bear witness to heroic Alan, and I'll be damned if he isn't somewhat, reasonably heroic...

To sum up, the story fits Alan and doesn't venture outside it's station (a lesson that certain secretaries should learn well). It really plays to the series strengths and has some of the best Alan moments we've seen. All of that being said, I'm not sure how those unfamiliar with Alan Partridge will feel about the film, as it does cater to fans of the series for the most part.

"I'm trying to save your head, shoulders, knees and toes." Alan Partridge (Coogan) is a famous DJ who works for a station that has just been bought out. When rumors about firings begin to swirl his friend and co-worker Pat Farrell (Meaney) thinks he is on the list so he does the only reasonable thing, he takes the station hostage. It is up to his friend Alan to defuse the situation, but things don't go as planned. I have never seen him do this character before so I was sure what to expect from this. Almost immediately I was laughing and that continued throughout the movie. There is quite a bit of British humor in this but it is more main stream American then say a Monty Python or Shaun Of The Dead is. Coogan is great in this and I wouldn't hate if they made more movies with this character. The easiest way to describe this is like a British Anchorman with the constant over the top antics and the make-it- up-as-you-go feel. This isn't a movie for everyone but I really thought it was funny and I recommend this. Overall, very funny movie, I really liked it a lot, but again it's not a comedy for everyone. I give this a B+.

While I have a bazillion reviews to my credit here on IMDb, I must tell you up front that I am not the best person to be reviewing this movie. This is because I have never seen the TV series on which this film is based and I am not particularly familiar with Steve Coogan. So, unlike many viewers, this is my first time and I cannot compare the movie with the show.

The film begins with some corporate folks coming to the radio station where Alan (Coogan) works. They are there to make changes and he and the staff are pretty scared. It appears that Alan is the big change and he's going to be let go. But, being a weasel, he manages to focus their attention on someone else--Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). However, when Pat is instead fired, he loses it and goes on a shooting spree. He also takes a bunch of hostages and it's up to Alan to try to help the police to get the folks out alive. However, being a weasel, he also hopes to gain a lot of attention for himself and thus improve his ratings! In fact, as the film progresses, you really see that this is Partridge's #1 goal.

This movie is a very funny and EXTREMELY dark comedy. Such topics are usually NOT the basis for a comedy and the film manages to tackle a sick topic like this and still make it very watchable. However, at times, the film does have a few lulls--not serious ones but the pacing could have been just a bit better. Worth seeing--especially if you like your humor pitch black in tone.

Steve Coogan stars as Alan Partridge, now a Radio DJ in Norwich. When the staff at his radio station are taken hostage, Alan steps up to negotiate.

Funny in parts, this enjoyable romp sees Alan making the most of a challenging situation. It's far from brilliant but is entertaining enough.

Radio DJ Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan) works at a local station in Norwich. They are taken over by a big corporation. He crashes a board meeting and discovers that it's either him or Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). He backstabs Pat who gets fired. Later Pat comes back with a gun to take over the station. Pat demands to talk through Alan in exchange for three hostages. The cops press Alan into the radio station.

I was a bit concerned when shoots were fired but the movie never missed a beat. It kept the quick fire jokes going. I'll be honest that I've never heard of Alan Partridge. Although Steve Coogan has obviously honed in on the character. His machine gun delivery is really sharp. Even if you miss one joke, the next one is coming right on top of you. Colm Meaney has the high energy to keep up with Coogan.