Stan & Ollie review – Bittersweet biopic of Laurel and Hardy

The American comedy duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were one of the world’s great comedy teams, with millions of followers.

Jon S Baird’s excellent biopic, featuring both British and American talent, brilliantly details the intricate relationship between these two unique individuals while on a variety hall tour of the UK in 1953.

Diminished by age and with their golden era as the kings of Hollywood comedy well behind them, they face an uncertain future.

As the charm and beauty of their performances shines through, they reconnect with their adoring fans.

Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly in Stan & Ollie. Picture: eOne

The tour becomes a hit, but Stan and Ollie can’t quite shake off the spectre of Laurel and Hardy’s past; the long-buried ghosts, coupled with Hardy’s failing health, which is beginning to threaten their precious partnership.

With the exceptional acting skills of Britain’s Steve Coogan (Laurel) and American John C Reilly (Hardy), this portrait is tenderly rendered as the two men review their creative partnership.

Reilly is particularly impressive, unrecognisable under a mountain of makeup and prosthetics to give him an uncanny resemblance to Hardy. It is quite scary at times the way he manifests Hardy’s mannerisms. It never descends into caricature.

These two creative souls are well aware that they may be approaching their swan song but, in the process, they are also attempting to rediscover just how much they mean to each other.

The bittersweet feeling of looking back to past happiness is sharply depicted in this partnership as both men have to deal with their own vulnerabilities.

John C. Reilly and Steve Coogan in Stan & Ollie. Picture: eOne

The intelligence and spirit of Coogan and Reilly penetrate beyond their uncanny likeness and superb physical performances.

Laurel was a serious individual who spent hours writing their scripts, sitting up late into the night to effect the best gags.

The rotund Hardy, always mindful of his weight but never attempting to do anything about it, was into another one of his marriages. This time, it was to a sharp, often-domineering wife Lucille (Shirley Henderson), who was a great influence. She was shrewd, money-conscious and tiny compared to her husband.

Her opposite number was Laurel’s wife Ida (Nina Ariande), a pushy, aggressive woman of Eastern European descent who was also a dominating force in her husband’s life and never stopped smoking.

Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda in Stan & Ollie. Picture: eOne

Danny Huston plays film magnate Hal Roach, who was involved in Laurel and Hardy’s movie career, and Rufus Jones as the smarmy Bernard Delfont, promoter of their UK tour.

Stan and Ollie is an eccentric, touchingly sad and, at times, emotionally stirring slice of filmmaking which gives a new meaning to the word “partnership”.

Highly recommended.

Info

Rating:
Cast: Steve Coogan, John C Reilly, Shirley Henderson, Nina Arianda, Danny Houston.
Director: Jon S Baird.
Classification: 7-9 PGD.

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