David Brent: Life On The Road

For the second time within weeks a movie is released based on a popular British television comedy series.

'David Brent: Life On The Road' brings back the excruciatingly off the mark manager (Ricky Gervais) from 'The Office' who takes time away from his current sales representative job to both manage and headline a band on tour. Brent is desperate to be popular, to be admired, to be part of the team. He fails in all respects blissfully ignorant as to how out of step he is with almost everyone he encounters. He seems incapable of learning from the constant rebuffs he experiences but he tries again and again.

As with the television series he is sad to watch, yet at times as compelling to view as the cliched train smash.

The question for me is what is the point of the movie. The recently released 'Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie' in its subject matter felt nothing more than an episode of the television original except it is on the big screen and is movie length.

At least 'David Brent: Life On The Road' takes its title character out of the office and into a different, musical, environment. There are a number of original songs, all of them containing excruciatingly inappropriate lyrics. Yet even then that transition is sandwiched between scenes of the familiar office context which open and close the film.

As with 'AbFab' this is mainly for aficionados.

★★1/2