David Brent: Life on the Road

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.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb

Part of me is glad that they have finally put this franchise to rest. Some of this has to do with the fact that it has become a bit stale, there's only so much you can do when a museum's exhibit's have the ability to come to life. The other and more major thing is that it wouldn't be the same without Robin Williams (this is the final onscreen performance he did before his death).

After a disastrous dinner planned at the Natural History Museum of New York, where all the exhibits have gone haywire, night curator Larry (Ben Stiller) discovers that the magic that keeps the exhibits alive is fading fast and journeys to the British Museum to find a solution. He is joined by Theodore Roosevelt (Robin Williams), Ahkmenrah (Rami Malek) and the others to help. Once there he is confronted by Sir Lancelot (Dan Stevens), who believes the magic tablet to be the Holy Grail.

A lot of the jokes in this movie are subpar, if not complete repeats of jokes from the previous movies. Robin Williams, the most seasoned comedian of the group provides the most jokes, even referencing his Oscar winning role in Good Will Hunting ("Once more unto the breach, dear friends"). There are some historical jokes as well, which may float above younger audiences heads. A great example of this is a reference to the Egyptians owning many Jewish slaves, to which Larry replies that they weren't too happy about it.

Apart from Robin Williams, there are no real standout performances. Ben Stiller does his thing, but it just felt like he was recycling his role in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. He was humourous as the caveman Laa, but this character wasn't exemplary. Rebel Wilson has a small role as the night guard of the British Museum, but I found her over the top English accent unbearable. Skyler Gisondo plays Nick, Larry's teenage son, and I felt like the character was just annoying and unnecessary.

The movie's cameo's are probably more rewarding than the lead roles. Dick Van Dyke makes a small appearance as Cecil, the former night guard, along with Mickey Rooney, who died not long after this film. Hugh Jackman appears as himself playing King Arthur along with Alice Eve as Guinevere. Ben Kingsley plays Ahkmenrah's father, but doesn't stick around too long.

Verdict: Slightly funny, but if you've seen the first one of these films, then you'll know why this one seems redundant. It's very sad and poignant that Robin Williams' final line is "Farewell, good friend".