Arthur's Dyke

This British (very) light comedy, is a conventional modern Pilgrims Progress that attempts to do for the Offa's Dyke long-distance walking path what "Shirley Valentine" did for Greece and "Educating Rita" did for the Open University.

The cluster of UK TV-hits acting talent did their best with the script, but ultimately were unable to get past the contemporary clichés and cardboard characterisations. Since the star was meant to be the landscape and a flavour of how nice it is to walk through the English/Welsh Countryside, the director should have gone the whole hog and treated us to the best spectacle the location has to offer. However, the shots are fine enough, authentic and evocative, and that's what kept me awake late at night watching it right through to the end. And the message of the story - that I have turned into a TV/computer couch-potato, managed to hit home.

Just for the record, Offa's Dyke was the Anglo-Saxon equivalent of the Berlin Wall, (or, to be more up to date, the Palestine Wall.) It is 180 miles long, and built by Offa, King of Mercia, in the latter half of the 8th century to separate the Welsh from the English. Today it winds through English and Welsh Counties, thus one gets a bit of both, which the film conveys.

I wanted to give it 5.5 heading for 6 by my scoring method, but for some reason I settled on 5, probably through feeling embarrassed for the competent team of actors, and the UK comedy industry as a whole.

I watched this film because I have recently returned from visiting the Offa's Dyke Information Centre in Prestatyn. I have an interest in the ancient path. Unfortunately the film isn't interesting enough. The story follows three chaps who previously walked along the route during their university days, and twenty years later they attempt to do it again. Meanwhile, housewife Janet (Pauline Quirke) wants to walk the path, too, but her ignorant husband (Brian Conley) isn't interested in her or what she wants. So Janet decides to set off on her own. The three chaps are Arthur, the loud, obnoxious womaniser; Geoffrey, the rich businessman who takes his laptop and mobile on the trip; and Andy, the quieter one who has a disease and hasn't long to live. Janet meets the fellows and we follow the four of them. Throw into the mix Dennis Waterman has a private investigator, two Swedish lady walkers, a woman who stalks Geoffrey and demands him to impregnate her, a twitcher who dies, a bar of rowdy squaddies and a country Western dance, and it might sound appealing and lively, but somehow it isn't. It ultimately feels vacuous. I think the running time of 106 minutes is too long. This would have worked better has a one-hour TV programme.

A road trip with a difference. This film superbly charts the lives of 3 students who meet again after 20 years to conquer a long distance walk. Along the way they pick up a middle aged Pauline Quirke, who wants to leave the drudgery of her life and find something to give her a jolt. The cast is cast brilliantly, Robert Daws plays the obnoxious Arthur to great effect, bullying the others along. He tries desperately to relive his younger days, attempting to sleep with any woman that passes his way. This movie will appeal to Uk fans and lovers of great story lines alike. The ending may appear a little strange but works well with the story that had unfolded throughout.

If you like to see films with beautiful landscapes elegant villages, and wooded forest, then this is a good film for you, but take away that and your left with really nothing, the characters were fine but should have been given more depth, and at the end when Pauline quirke decided to leave her annoying but loverble sidekicks, left me just thinking, what about there sticking together, i know one was taken to hospital, but it ruined for me what i thought was a journey of friendship and understanding for each other, but i was left thinking that Pauline's character was a bit cold Pauline quirke gives her usual sulky sarcastic performance, as always, and the others are just watchable, i think this film only pulled through due to the surroundings of where it was filmed, A hit or miss

Nice lightweight late night BBC film with a lot of familiar UK television faces such as the ever reliable Robert Daws . Could have done with more of Brian Conley as Pauline Quirke's unfaithful husband . His insensitive oafs are always a laugh . Check him out as Doug Digby , the bullying PE teacher in The Grimleys , an overlooked UK comedy of a few years back .

The scenery is , of course marvelous . Could be a tourist ad for Wales. Arthur's (or Offa's ) Dyke is spectacular . Two highpoints , for the " lads " are the almost Carry On scenes with Ellie Beaven and Rebecca Lacey . Gratuitous but fun . Worth seeing .