Bean: the Movie

[Derf]

Okay, so I'm in Big Lots the other day, and they have a new shipment of movies in. Many of them are packaged as twofers for six bucks apiece, so I picked up a couple of them, including a Bean: the Movie/Johnny English two-pack, with both movies starring Rowan Atkinson. Johnny English, while not being as funny as it could have been, was watchable. That is to say, the plot moved along, things made general sense (except for John Malkovich portraying a frenchman), every gag was telegraphed beyond belief, etc. While I doubt I'll ever watch it again, I don't greatly regret having seen it. And then I watched Bean. I knew the character from some of the short features I'd seen, so I didn't have great expectations going in, but I hoped to be mildly amused. Instead, I was in pain through most of the movie as I watched Dr. Janosz Poha from Ghostbusters II (Peter MacNicol) try to be a yuppie art museum curator married to Detective Phoebe O'Hara from Kindergarten Cop (Pamela Reed) and playing host to Bean. In a three-minute sketch, Bean is a fun character--not hilarious, but reasonably fun and clever. In a 90-minute movie, however, he just doesn't work. I long for the Rowan Atkinson of Black Adder. I can definitely live without Bean's outdated humor. I really want that 91 minutes of my life back. But, alas, alack, and woe is me, I cannot get that time back.

Plot synopsis **WITH SPOILERS** (in case anyone cares): Bean is a favorite employee of the curator of a British art museum (though we are never told why he is so well-liked by the boss). Everyone else hates him and wants him gone. When an L.A. museum buys the "Whistler's Mother" painting, they expect an art expert to accompany it to the U.S. The British experts, however, see it as a way to get rid of Bean for a few months and ship him off across the Pond. As Bean arrives, wackiness tries to ensue, and Bean ends up ruining the painting. The U.S. curator believes his life is ruined, and his wife and kids leave him because of Bean. Bean feels bad for him and comes up with a "brilliant" scheme to save the day: He breaks into the art museum and replaces the original with a full-size replica poster, adding brush strokes made of egg whites and other household goods. And no one notices. Apparently, ever. The day is saved, the curator and his wife are reunited, and Bean goes home. The movie closes with him saying goodnight to his teddy bear and to -- wait for it -- the original, ruined painting. Who would have guessed? (<-- That there was what we Americans call "sarcasm")

I love older comedies, but modern movies that try to "recapture" older comedy styles generally reek, and this movie reeks more than most. Save yourself the time, effort and money of a rental on this one and just go bang your head on the sidewalk for an hour. Your brain won't be any less damaged than it would be by watching this movie.

[Mr. DS]

I actually saw this in the theater...alone.  Alone as in no one was in the theater with me.  Though I think one guy walked in half way through.  Probably was sent by the theater owner to make me feel better.

Anyhow, I was ok with the film.  Bean kind of used the comedy of his shorts that had been tried several times before.  While I like Bean's 10 minute shows, this film kind of made him more annoying than funny.  It did provide me with a few laughs.  One in particular is when he thinks that flipping someone off meant waving.  Oddly I think I have this on VHS somewhere but I don't remember ever watching it at home.     Its just a good example how impossible it is to stretch a successful small concept into a big movie. 

[HappyGilmore]

Rowan Atkinson is funny.  Bean is a funny character, in those small 10 minute shorts they'd show on PBS or BBC.  But even I gotta say, trying to stretch it out into a 90 minute movie is pushing it to the limit.  Hell, SNL can't make a movie work for their skits (notable exceptions being Blues Brothers and Wayne's World), so, eh.  The movie wasn't good.

[Doggett]

I kinda liked it.

Hated the telly show, though.

[BoyScoutKevin]

I've seen it. Not the worst film I've ever seen, but certainly not my favorite of the "Bean" films. That would be "Mr. Bean's Holiday." As Atkinson has good rapport with his young co-star Max Baldry. As William Dafoe's film, as re-shot by Atkinson's character, is hilarious. And where everybody gets together at the end of the film to sing on the beach, and makes no sense, but I love it anyway.

What makes "Bean" watchable for me, is seeing the late Sir John Mills in one of his last screen performances.

[metalmonster]

I used To Love The BEAN Show , I Thought The Movie Was Even Better

The Movie JOHNNY ENGLISH Was Great Too

[MilkManPictures]

I saw the film in the theater with friends who loved the TV show. Never really cared for the tv show... the film was ok from what I remember of it... The turkey on his head was funny.

[The Burgomaster]

I saw BEAN, JOHNNY ENGLISH and MR. BEAN'S VACATION in the theater.  I have BEAN on DVD, and I also have all of the MR. BEAN TV episodes.  Many of the comedy bits in his movies are copied from the TV episodes.  I think he's a funny guy, but 90 minutes may be too much screen time for him.  He's probably better suited for supporting roles in movies like RAT RACE.

[peter johnson]

They easily could have done several "Blackadder" feature films, had they been so inclined -- Also, catch Atkinson alongside other comic greats like Peter Cook on John Cleese's "Secret Policeman's Ball" series -- I also loved him in "Thin Blue Line", a TV show that don't get no respect . . .

peter johnson/denny crane

[Derf]

They easily could have done several "Blackadder" feature films, had they been so inclined -- Also, catch Atkinson alongside other comic greats like Peter Cook on John Cleese's "Secret Policeman's Ball" series -- I also loved him in "Thin Blue Line", a TV show that don't get no respect . . .

peter johnson/denny crane

I wish they had done a Blackadder feature. I love Atkinson in that role. I even like the Bean short features well enough. The bit just wasn't enough to carry a 90-minute feature. If anyone here liked it, great. It just didn't work for me; he just seemed to be trying too hard to be charmingly odd. Plus, a main character that doesn't speak more than a couple of words at a time is difficult to pull off for any length of time, and the silences seemed overdone. I know Bean doesn't speak much, and I don't really want him to, but, again, the character just couldn't hold my interest for 90 minutes.