Ricky Gervais rekindles his series and genre-defining character - this time, in his own movie. Life on the Road looks to revive the quirky and cringeworthy David Brent years after his initial showing in The Office and show how this single character led to an entire stem of modern comedy being created. While this movie brings the awkward humour and British comedy you would expect from Ricky Gervais' series-inspiring character, it sadly does not extend much further than that.
David Brent (Ricky Gervais) finds himself in a familiar mid-life rut long after his time as Regional Manager at Wernham Hogg Paper Company. Unhappy in his position at a low-end cleaning products distributor, Brent decides to chuck all he has (not very much) on the line to pursue his dream and tour with his band.
Life on the Road starts out strong. Gervais instantly looks to remind us of the same old David Brent we all hated to love in The Office. As Brent looks to assemble his band and begin his life-changing journey we experience the same old awkward and almost cringeworthy comedy we have come to expect from Gervais' performances as David Brent. Brent still has his same old nervous laugh, awkward overbite and over-the-top enthusiasm as before, and this is seemingly enough to satisfy audiences with his antics.
Unfortunately, as the movie progresses, this trademark comedy begins to feel routine and repetitive, and the overall feel of the film ends up as just average. While there are some good jokes sprinkled through Brent's misjudged song lyrics and goofy demeanour, some of the punchlines are expected and predictable. While Gervais does this comedy well, and it is certainly in the style which made The Office and David Brent popular in the first place, there is little added to it to spice up Life on the Road.
Stylistically, Life on the Road fittingly brings back the same mockumentary feel as The Office. With a crew following Brent as he goes about his tour, we begin to recognise familiar quick movements and camera glances to make fans of the original series (or the American counterpart) feel at ease. Mimicking this recognisable camera style and adapting it for the big screen does wonders for the overall feel of the movie, creating a familiar atmosphere for those already accustomed to David Brent's awkward antics.
Life on the Road is brings back a lot of what made The Office successful: Gervais' trademark character, the mockumentary style, and almost unbearably uncomfortable yet strangely alluring humour. Strangely enough, this continuity can be considered both beneficial and detrimental to the overall quality of the film. While this familiarity and humour is enough to satisfy audiences at first, the fact that the film doesn't explore much further than that results in a merely average viewing experience. Good for fans of The Office? Definitely. Enough to warrant more David Brent movies in the future? Don't think so.
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