MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’

Film: Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Directed By: Declan Lowney
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney

I should probably preface this by saying that I, like most on this side of the pond, am aware of the Alan Partridge phenomenon – however, unlike most on this side of the pond, I’ve never really been into it. It’s a uniquely English thing, this show, both in its presentation and brand of humour, and while that doesn’t make it inaccessible or off-putting to outsiders it does mean I wasn’t that quick to seize upon it as a child. More than anything however, the show is a brilliant vehicle for the talents of Steve Coogan, a consistently underrated actor whose dramatic abilities seem to be only lately of note (in the wonderful Philomena, amongst others), but whose true gift is still for comedy. To that end, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is a glorious film, as fresh and charming for its familiarity and simplicity as for its subversive humour and acting.

For those not in the know, Alan Partridge (Coogan) is a radio DJ and sometimes television presenter who hails (quite proudly) from Norwich, England. His radio station is in the process of being bought out by a multinational conglomerate and several presenters are growing somewhat nervous about their futures. One such presenter, Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney), asks Alan to take the matter up with the new management. However, in typically inert fashion, he betrays Farrell and tells the new owners to sack him. Farrell clears out his desk but returns to take the remaining presenters hostage at the Christmas party, insisting he’ll only talk to the police through Alan, who must then re-enter the building and attempt to negotiate.

Different kinds of humour pervade on opposite sides of the world – from my perspective, US humour is often showier, more emphatic and reliant on action, whereas humour from these parts (gracefully exempting continental Europe here for its, well, inability to laugh at itself) tends to be more tongue-in-cheek and self-deprecating. That’s hardly a new observation, but it sums up why Alpha Papa is such joyous fun. This has the air of an affable television serial – unsurprisingly, given its roots – but the simplistic, unassuming delivery arms it with an effortless warmth. Where other big comedies tend to go all-out and insist on setpieces and plot contrivances, this is a delightfully deranged story, as unlikely as anything you’ll see on the big screen and yet joyously familiar at the same time. Alan saying he’ll stand up for the little guy then tossing him to the wolves in a classic case of one-upmanship? Yup. Triumph of the common man over the media moguls – except wait, no, I take it back? Yup. Completely unfazed bystanders and hilariously over-zealous cops? But of course. None of these things are new or could be described as original, but they’re put together with such plodding sincerity that it can’t help but instill good faith in the viewers. Alan is moronic but he’s easy to root for, and the hostage situation at the radio station resembles a madcap school prank than any actually serious incident. The makers have a way of depicting childish, inherently laughable characters in a manner that still shows them affection, and despite its obvious nods to slapstick it never feels silly or brainless.

The writing is exceptional, even for a team that combines the likes of Coogan, Armando Ianucci, and Peter Baynham. The dialogue is as sharp as it is quotable, filled with delightfully subversive exclamations such as “You never, ever criticise Muslims, only Christians…and occasionally Jews” and “Help! There’s a madman with a gun! HE’S IRISH”. The performances are equally brilliant – Coogan is as comfortable as ever with his witless alter-ego, Meaney brings pathos as well as humour to the unfortunate Farrell, Simon Greenall steals every scene as Michael the Geordie (“You look like some sort of big Geordie Anne Frank”) and Felicity Montagu is sweet and endearing as the long-suffering assistant Lynn.

Alpha Papa makes a late play for comedy of the year – a charming, witty, and genuinely very funny romp, it will respond well to repeated viewings and find just as much of a place on TV as in cinema. This is the hapless everyman in the comedy of his life.

GRADE: A

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