THE PLOT THUS FAR
Steve Coogan reprises his most popular role as the iconic Alan Partridge, the famous local radio DJ and one time talk show host. Alan finds himself at the center of a siege when a disgruntled fellow DJ (Colm Meaney) decides to hold their station hostage after learning that he’s getting fired by the new management.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Alan Partridge” showcases why the character never took off outside of England. Self-absorbed media personalities are a dime a dozen. Who needs to watch a fictional one throw his friends under the bus, when there are plenty of people who will do it in real life? While the film is only 90 minutes long, the lack of forward momentum to get to that place is nearly unbearable. That is until Colm Meaney gets to cut loose.
Colm Meaney doesn’t get enough credit as the movie’s villain. His disdain for Partridge is understandable. Hell, I agree with the methods he used to get the station’s attention. It’s an employee party and the guy’s pissed at the one person who is ruining the station. The lack of any real humor in the situation is shocking when you consider the writing team. This isn’t “In the Loop”, hell it’s not even “Veep”. Take that for what you will, but I’ve heard that even the BBC comedy snobs are having a hard time with this Coogan outing. Ultimately, what is to be said? Sometimes, you need to retire characters and venture outwards.
The Blu-Ray comes with featurettes as the special features. The A/V Quality on this disc is in a world of its own. The DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track is reference quality lossless blasts of Coogan quips. Then, there’s the 1080p transfer that goes to show you how great a comedy can look. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 06/10/2014