The Inbetweeners: Hits the Comedy Bulls-Eye

The Inbetweeners is a film that hits the comedy bulls-eye with good laughs and subtle insights behind its veil of juvenile antics, but its roots makes for some problematic storytelling and questions left unanswered. Based on a massively successful series about a group of four misfit sixth-formers (or late high school/early college students to you inferior Americans), writers Damon Beesley and Iain Morris take the age old route that British television always seems to find itself on and send all the characters on a heinously misguided holiday. Unlike most of its peers, what isn’t so predictable was its unbelievable box office of £45 million, the most successful opening weekend ever achieved by a comedy film in the UK. It will love to make a splash on these waters.

The film re-introduces us to its four central characters quickly. Will (Simon Bird) is the social awkward (or perhaps socially awkwardist) member of the group who is the only guy who turns up to school in a blazer, Simon (Joe Thomas) is the distraught and naïve dumpee unable to read between the lines of his ex-girlfriend’s Carli (Emily Head) break up speech. He is best friends with Jay (James Buckley), whose sexual boasting is at odds with his sexual frustration. The final man of the group is Neil, who is clinically stupid. They celebrate the end of their school days with the British “lad” rite of passage which is the summer clubbing holiday, Malia being the destination of choice. This also happens to be the destination where Carli happens to be going, the fault of Neil (who is clinically stupid). Well written and deftly acted they are the driving force that carries the movie, their glaring and unsavoury flaws mixed with a vulnerability and susceptibility to pratfalls which are the staple of comedy characters.

However, they are also part of what makes this movie so problematic, as they hang heavily over the plot. Although the notion that TV is the inferior medium had become more and more blurry in recent years the differences between storytelling between that and film is stark: TV is more flexible when it comes to plot, often allowing more characters to drive the action. Although the ensemble piece does occasionally make it into film, film most often works best when there is a single protagonist who drives the film. Although the writers quietly relegate Neil to the role of comedy supporting character (because he’s clinically stupid), the remaining three characters find themselves fighting for screen time. This becomes more complicated with the introduction of not one but FOUR different love interests which is pretty much an obligation for this adaptation but are a mixed bag of the sweet (Will and the snappy Alison) and the unconvincing (Joe and Lucy) that feel slightly undeveloped. This intertwines with a second plot involving Jay’s pining for his former love which will culminate with a vague plot to get on a party boat arranged by a nasty club rep who deserved a little bit more screen time. It’s a shame that the film couldn’t have given itself more room to manoeuvre, and maybe decide on an actual protagonist.

Having said that, whenever films like these roll along the plot means diddly-squat if it fails to generate a single laugh and The Inbetweeners doesn’t disappoint. If it isn’t some brilliant sight gags (Including Neil’s hyper-choreographed dance which reminds me of someone I know in real life), it’s some of its one-liners including a hotel rep who goes through a pretty straight forward and horrific fine system. The finest moment belongs to Jay, who has hidden a £20 note in a particular area due to his distrust of foreign police which is then forgotten about only to be brought back with a fantastic pay off later on. What makes this comedy work so well is how it manages to capture and poke fun at British culture. It is a film about the first steps of being an adult, the moment when boys have no clue about the opposite sex and life is simply a matter of avoiding responsibility for just a little bit longer.

This ultimately makes The Inbetweeners a typical comedy film, at war between its gags and its plot development. Despite the problem of trying to move from television to film and trying to shoe-horn four characters into a plot the strength of those characters are enough to overcome this, providing some genuine British comedy gold. The real question is whether American audiences can connect with it in the same manner, or whether its plot deficiencies will hold it back.