Mr Bean's Holiday   Starring: Rowan Atkinson, Emma de Caunes, Max Baldry and Willem Dafoe Distributor: Fabulous Films Ltd / Fremantle Media Enterprises RRP: £14.99 Certificate: PG Release Date: 15 February 201

Having entered into a competition to win a holiday to the south of France, Mr Bean sets off, recording his trip on his camcorder. His desire to record his trip makes him inadvertently separate a Russian child from his father, further misadventures sees him destroy a film set before being finally rescued by aspiring actress, Sabine. Bean, the child and Sabine now have to make their way to Cannes...

Mr Bean’s Holiday (2007. 1 hr, 25 min, 56 sec) is a comedy film. Directed by Steve Bendelack and staring Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean.

The character of Mr Bean is very much like a bored child, unable to sit still, he is in constant motion, but also like a child he is almost completely devoid of malice. That he drags chaos in his wake is part and parcel of who he is and the source of the film's humour.

I don’t think even the film makers would disagree that the film is inspired, in part, by Jacques Tati’s Les Vacances De M.Hulot (1953), although this only goes as far as channelling the spirit of the film, rather than taking any particular elements. The film also owes a debt to numerous silent era comedy actors, especially Buster Keaton.

The film cannot be said to be silent, but the sparse amount of language is not the most important thing. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), Sabine (Emma de Caunes) and Stepan (Max Baldry) are able to communicate, even though they come from three different countries. Where the film needs it, there is speech to forward the narrative, but apart from the comedy, what the film is, is a love letter to the French countryside, with lots of wide expansive shots detailing the beauty.

For the most part the comedy is a lot gentler than either the previous film or even the TV show, where there were invariably elements of Bean's underlying dislike of others. Occasionally he is prone to dive to his previous incarnation, like attempting to steal a motorised bike, but in all cases it is clear that Bean never stood a chance of actually getting away with his passing nefarious plans. This does mean that the comedy invariably remains gentle, you will always smile, but only on occasion will you laugh out loud.

There are four extras on the disc. French Beans (11 min, 26 sec) stands in for the ‘making of’ with contributions from cast and crew, unlike many of these efforts this one is actually worth watching. It’s not particularly deep but does give you the reason for placing Bean in France. Bean in Cannes (5 min, 50 sec) is actually an extension of the first piece, this time looking at how the film was given permission to film at the real red carpet in Cannes. The Human Bean (6 min, 13 sec) looks at the character of Rowan; obviously no one has a bad word to say about him. Deleted Scenes, of which there are fifteen of various short lengths.

The film's main spoken languages are English, Russian and of course French, there are multiple subtitles languages.

There are not many things which make me spit out my wine in laughter, but I loved the quote which the PR firm decided to use to promote the film.

“If you have been lobotomised or have the mental age of a kindergartener, Mr. Bean’s Holiday is viable comic entertainment” - USA Today

I don’t know about you but that’s pretty much the most insulting thing you could say about the film, let’s hope they don’t plan to plaster that on too many promotional materials.

In the end this is a Mr Bean film. If you enjoy the character then you're guaranteed to enjoy his last outing. If he made you cringe or gave you the creeps, then, likewise there is nothing different here.

8

Charles Packer