Stan and Ollie

I completely agree - I enjoyed the film and your observations about JC Riley's portrayal of Hardy are spot on, as indeed the Alan Partridge-isation of Laurel. There were times when he was spot on, but as you say some were not.

As a lover of L&H for many years I was enthralled in the movie from end to end, however it did leave me wanting more - I could have sat through an additional hour if that was filled with more of their rehearsals  of their lines, sketches etc.

A very touching and poignant film though, where for me JC Riley/Hardy is the star of the show.

Thanks for that, I've been thinking about going to see the film; a "great" with qualifications form someone who's thought about it is a good push to go.  

Thank you for posting this.  I loved Laurel and Hardy as a kid and have fond memories of my dad actually crying with laughter watching them.  

I have some free time this week so I think I will check it out 👍

Genuinely cannot wait to see it at the pictures, used to love watching Laurel and Hardy with my dad :)

Me too - I've seen the trailers and it looks teriffic. :-)

I loved this film. Very sensitively done and told the behind the scenes story of their friendship. Funny as you'd expect as well as very touching. Go and see it!

L&H are ,with Buster Keaton, my two comic geniuses.( L&H are so much one that I classify them as one).

I don't think I could bear to see the sad reality. I want always to have them as the two characters, both in silent and sound films, that have been able to reduce me to helpless laughter, but with an added something that no one could get near. 

I would prefer to see a film about the genius of Stan Laurel, not the sad decline of them both.

This is not a criticism of the film, which I understand to be excellent. 

It is me, not wanting to be disillusioned.

Yep, loved the film. I grew up in the time when their films were constantly being run during the daytime, they were comic geniuses. Anyway, in case you don't know, their movies are slowly being restored by UCLA in the US, sadly it looks like they have no timescale for releasing them to bluray/streaming at present. Take a look here . 

I really enjoyed Stan and Ollie, set at really interesting time of their career and it’s a love sorry really, the love of their wives who have some of the bests lines and are superbly played and love of their partnership. Considering they were thrown together by Hal Roach to make up for the loss of talent like Harold Lloyd. Personally I’m not a great fan of Steve Coogan I think he’s quite limited and not a particulary crafted comedian, but he was terrific in the role of Larrel. I particulary loved all of the tiny mannerisms and detail, it’s what made it for me especially when you look at the original dance routine in credits at the end. A big kick was seeing the Lido in Worthing make and appearance, I’ve shot there a few times so I never knew L&H had judged a beauty talent show there. Overall I thought it was a delight and very much made me want to view the L&H back catalogue of work.

Edited by Incandescent Photography

Edited by Incandescent Photography

Edited by Incandescent Photography

Horrify Me I think you've been a bit hard on Steve Coogan - John C. Riley I've never heard of, so it was kind of easy to accept him in the role of Hardy. 

Of course it's hard to watch Steve Coogan without occasionally recalling him as Partridge (especially given his Russian missus!), but for me this reflects the strength of the character he has created and doesn't indicate a weakness in his performance as Stan Laurel.

Terrific film and well worth going to see. Both parts played with considerable subtlety without which it could never have worked.