Killing Dad or How to Love Your Mother

After a beginning with Richard E. Grant addressing the audience floating face down in the water like William Holden in 'Sunset Boulevard' this comedy on the time-honoured subject of attempted murder follows a narrative arc reminiscent of 'Nothing But the Best' with Grant attempting to dispose (SLIGHT SPOILER COMING:) of a disreputable Denholm Elliot under the watchful eye of amorous landlady Julie Walters.

Grant finds himself set himself adrift in a world of Hogarthian grotesques amid hoary old jokes about hair restorer (which from the looks of that haircut Grant would have found a pretty hard sell).

Costume designer Sandy Powell has since received several Oscars for her exaggerated historical costume design (which at this juncture now includes the eighties) and plainly had a lot of fun with Miss Walters's wardrobe.

Richard E as Mr Greb and Julie Walters - together. Dream combination. A bit of Withnail and I plus Personal Services (1987) blended by experts.

Set in part in Southend, Essex, a look at mummy's boy Mr Greb being "seduced" by boozy Julie Walters as he searches for his long lost Dad. Denholm Elliot plays Julie's boyfriend.

Lovely one-liners such as the bit where Denholm returns drunk to the Hotel they are staying at (long-term) and Julie is annoyed, so shouts "Matty, you will not treat my home like a hotel!" Marvellous.

Any Julie Walters gem.

It seemed like such a good idea, two years after 'Withnail and I', another showcase for Richard E Grant, this time teamed with two other superb actors, Julie Walters and Denholm Elliott.

But - oh dear. Julie Walters plays a maneater on the loose in, er, Southend-on-Sea (not the most exciting of resorts and adding to the general seediness of this film, in fact Southend is probably the best thing about 'Killing Dad'). Denholm Elliott is her waste of space boozy boyfriend, while Richard E Grant plays a nicer version of Withnail, 'Mr Greb', a weedy mummy's boy looking for his long-lost dad.

Can you see where this one is going? And it takes so long to get there. Always in my memory as a 'poor film' where none of the cast come out at their best, and not one I'd be that bothered about renting again.