Stan & Ollie Review

Stan & Ollie

Release Date: 21st February 2019 - Australia 

Production Companies
Entertainment One
BBC Films
Baby Cow Films
Laurel and Hardy Feature Productions
Sonesta Films

Distribution
eOne

Genre: Drama

Rating: PG

Runtime: 98 minutes


Budget: $10,000,000

Box Office Gross: $26,363,729 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Hollywood’s most famous comedy duo during the 1930s and 1940s, film stars Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, were known simply as Laurel & Hardy to millions of their fans, appearing in over 100 movies. 

In post-war Britain, Laurel and Hardy, both suffer from poor health, try to reignite their film careers as they embark on what becomes their swan song - a gruelling theatre tour. (Source - Metro Cinemas)

Cast

Steve Coogan - Stan Laurel

John C. Reilly - Oliver Hardy

Danny Huston - Hal Roach

Shirley Henderson - Lucille Hardy
Nina Arianda - Ida Kitaeva Laurel
Susy Kane - Cynthia Clark
Richard Cant - Harry Langdon
Rufus Jones - Bernard Delfont
Harry Hepple - Wally Brady

Crew
Director - Jon S. Baird
Writer - Jeff Pope
Executive Producers - Kate Fasulo, Christine Langan, Xavier Marchand, Joe Oppenheimer, Eugenio Perez and Gabrielle Tina
Producer - Faye Ward
Co-Producer - Jim Spencer
Production Designer - John Paul Kelly
Costume Designer - Guy Speranza
Director of Photography - Laurie Rose
Film Editors - Una Ni Dhonghaile and Billy Sneddon
Music - Rolfe Kent

Review

In the mid 2000s, I was introduced to Laurel and Hardy, one of the greatest comic duos that lived. Laurel and Hardy had success through both the silent and sound eras. This experience took me back as I watched most of their shorts as well as one of their feature-length movies which showed their unforgettable antics. These are the reasons that I decided to go and see 'STAN & OLLIE' which is a biopic about the comic duo in their final years. Their behind the scenes story has been rarely told until now with the release of 'STAN & OLLIE'. Even though the pair are long gone, this moving, dramatic biopic teaches us all there is to know about Laurel and Hardy during a European which they undertook in their final years together. I believe this film was snubbed in the Oscars and it should have been nominated for Best Picture.

The main actors Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly were uncannily fitting for the famed duo in their delivery of their performances. This aspect of the film alone deserved recognition at the Oscars.

I feel proud of something that 'STAN & OLLIE' has accomplished, that is the movie is a heartfelt tribute to the famed pairing of Laurel and Hardy. As someone discovered Laurel and Hardy's comedy in my childhood, this feature captures that memory and it's the best film I've seen in this year so far.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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