The Harry Hill Movie

Doctor Harry Hill brings his madcap humour to the big screen and he manages to rope in Matt Lucas, Julie Walters, Johnny Vegas, Sheridan Smith, Simon Bird and Jim Broadbent where he embarks on a road trip to Blackpool with his Nan when he discovers that his pet hamster, Abu Hamster who is oozing green stuff only has one week to live. However this is only a scheme hatched by his long lost twin and a pair of henchmen.

Trouble is Hill ends up in Blackpole where he spends a night in a guest house run by the Magic Numbers and takes a guided tour of a nuclear power plant by a cleaner (Oscar winner Jim Broadbent in drag!)

The film contains sniper chicken useful for a midweek dinner, radioactive hamsters, a dog Jackson 5 tribute, the Dachshund 5, shell people, a fox that is a master of disguise and Blackpool.

Its a madcap, surreal, silly mayhem. The film rather lulls in the middle when you feel its run out of steam and laughs. The humour is a bit hit and miss, however switch your brain off, watch it with the kids and it is mildly entertaining and amusing.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

In this outlandish film version of himself, TV funny man Harry Hill is distraught to find his pet hamster Abu (voiced by Johnny Vegas) is ill, so he takes him to the vets, only to find himself getting chased to Blackpool with his nan (Julie Walters) and Abu, by henchmen of his brother Otto (Matt Lucas) who wants to make him pay for being abandoned with a family of dash hounds.

Although his silly, twisted humour is the kind of thing I tend to warm to, I've never really made much time for Harry Hill, although I was interested to see how he'd perform to a live audience when he toured earlier this year. And, on that same basis, I wondered what a film about him would be like. Lest we forget, he is actually a character as opposed to an actual celebrity, so with ideas running as dry as they are, why not make a 'Harry Hill Film?'

With a plot that's every bit as piecemeal and apathetic as I've made it sound, it falls on Hill's (or, rather, Michael Hall's) shoulders to inject the film with as much of his zany, off the wall antics that his very presence evokes as possible, but while there's maybe the odd little cackle here and there, generally it's an annoying, redundant mess that's really started to wear out it's welcome even after only an hour and a half.

With such as host of respected performers, including Walters, Jim Broadbent and Sheridan Smith, sending themselves up, you'd have thought there might at least be some out-takes at the end to take the edge off it all a little, but it's as if the film feels it's done it's stuff enough by the end and just rolls off with bland end credits. It's a naturally self indulgent piece that's very existence is enough to make the mind boggle, and leaves you in no doubt Hill's forte lies in TV and nowhere else. **

I've never been moved to post a review on IMDb but considering the number of Adam Sandler films that rank in the 6s something had to be done to make a case for this little gem. And a gem it is if, like me, you're a fan of the puerile as long as it's accompanied with a healthy pinch of sardonic humour.

There is something of the genius about this movie. Something refreshingly honest about the performances, the colour palettes, the lame jokes, the physical humour, the songs, the locations, the props. To get some of the references it may help if you've grown up in the UK during the 70s and 80s or currently have children under 16 however the appeal is somewhat broader and the performances from all of the cast are nuanced, tongue firmly in cheek and the pacing and story is gentle and above all it's just fun. Consider the fact that you've got Harry Potter alumni in the cast - Julie Walters and Jim Broadbent - stars of UK screen - then you know you've got a solid British backbone to play off. Harry Hill is unphased, effortlessly gooning about in front of the camera and then you've also got great performances by Simon Bird, a bewildered Johnny Vegas as the voice of Abu and also (pop band) the Magic Numbers singing a lovely song about running a Bed and Breakfast on the British seaside.

Yes it's silly, yes it's obvious, yes it's simple but it's also evocative of the past triumphs of niche British cinema. It nods to our failings and to our weaknesses and to our guilty pleasures - and even the obviously filled in bits (Brains on legs, random shell people) don't detract from the fact that's it's just fun. Like an updated an detitillated Carry On movie - it's the best of British and I hope they make a follow up.

Try it out, suspend your disbelief, have a giggle.

Went with wife and two kids. We left after 50 minutes having sat through the worst cinema experience ever.

Had the film been branded as a new venture or a change in Harrys' professional direction we could accept why it may not have been to our liking. However the film is called "The Harry Hill Movie" and we naturally expected a feast of his humour and the entertainment enjoyed from watching his performances on television.

A star studied cast only raised our expectations and veiled the dreadful reviews that we had chosen not to embrace. I am at a complete loss as to why such highly acclaimed actors would want to be associated with a potentially career damaging script.

Take a walk in the park, rake some leaves or consider a cold shower but do not go and spend money going to see this.

Harry and his team need to make an apology to those fans who have wasted hard earned money going to see this.

Harry Hill has always been a fairly divisive comedian, his unique absurdist style has usually worked pretty well on me, especially on TV burp and his old channel 4 show. Although he's funny in half-hour slots, he doesn't seem to be capable of sustaining a feature-length film. The storyline is rather weak, involving Abu the hamster being taken on holiday to Blackpool (although they ended up in Blackpole at first) for his supposedly final week alive, but Harry's brother sends his henchmen to capture him. The acting is okay but not particularly good. The songs are fine too though not particularly funny. Harry often breaks the fourth wall to let the audience know about safety regulations etc, this was funny the first time but got irritating as he did it every 5 minutes seemingly.

It's certainly unique and while not horrible it wasn't really a bundle of fun either.