The Search for John Gissing

Saw it in Austin at the festival and was laughing like a wildman. Binder is NOT doing Woody Allen in the first twenty minutes he's ten times funnier. Jaenaane Garafalo was great and Rickman, who I am not a big fan of most times, is prefect in this role. Perfect. Loved it. To the makers, thankyou.

"The Search for John Gissing" is a 2001 comedy starring Mike Binder, Janeane Garofalo, and Alan Rickman.

Matthew Barnes and his wife Linda come to London, where Matthew is going to oversee a merger of a British company with the Germans. The man who has rented a house for them and is going to pick them up at the airport is one John Gissing (Rickman) who doesn't show up at the airport. They reach him, and he apologizes, and sends them to a hotel where he has a room reserved for them. The room turns out to be for someone else, and the Barnes' can't get a room because Gissing maxed out their credit cards when he rented them a house. The couple winds up staying with a nun who, while Linda is in the shower, makes a pass at Matthew.

It doesn't take Barnes long to figure out that John Gissing is out to destroy him. It turns out that Gissing was passed over for this assignment and feels threatened. Barnes turns the tables on him.

Lots of this film is very funny, with a crackerjack performance by Rickman, who is hilarious. Mike Binder is possibly a devotee of Woody Allen - this is Binder's film, and it's not dissimilar to an Allen film, nor are his line readings. Janeane Garofalo as his discouraged wife is very good.

This film didn't get a general release, apparently. It's hard to understand why since it is at least a cut above some of the dreck that passes for comedy today. I suspect if Ben Stiller had made it, the film wouldn't have had that problem.

The Search for John Gissing is a fast paced film which would probably have been more suited to an audience in the 1970s than the modern day. The first 20 minutes or so were for this watcher, quite mortifying with Mike Binder doing what to all intent purposes seemed to be a representation of Woody Allen. That is fine if you like Woody Allen, but I don't...

However, after the opening sequence, the film picked up considerably with the best comedic scenes being reserved (seperately) for Alan Rickman and Janeane Garofalo. In fact, it was a shame they had so few scenes together as it would probably have made the film a lot funnier. Alan Rickman seems to be enjoying the migration from much-loved villain and period actor to contemporary comedian and he successfully adds a lot of warmth and humour to this film. Janeane Garofalo was under-utlised in this film, seeming to only play an exasperated straightman to the angst of Mike Binder's character. The rest of the supporting cast were great - although I would love to meet a London taxi driver which will take someone all over London for 35 pounds...

All in all, this is a warm and funny movie which will probably not get the recognition it deserves. However, this is a must see for Alan Rickman fans as he really is very good in this comedic role!

This film is HILARIOUS!!! One of the funniest comedies I have seen in a long, long time. Director/screenwriter Mike Binder has created a masterpiece with this film. Starring Mike Binder in the lead role as Matthew, the fumbling corporate lackey sent to England to relocate with his wife, a splendid Janeane Garofalo, the comedy of errors does not stop for this poor man. Alan Rickman stars as John Gissing, the sabotaging company man who is about to be ousted by the very person he is to train to replace him - and thus makes every attempt to sidetrack Matthew. Not since "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" has there been this many natural comedic outlays. The story, the characters, the interactions - it all works, and very well. Brilliant! A must see!!

This is the case: "While he (Alan Rickman) was often typecast as baddies, he played a broad range of characters, bringing depth, nuance, and humour to every role he ever took on. Even if a movie or play was not great, after you'd see anything he was in, you'd feel the need to emphatically tell someone "...but Alan Rickman was awesome." Because he inevitably was; he was consistently superb. I don't think there has been a Rickman performance that one could ever look at and say, "Meh. He was OK."