Title: Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Director: Declan Lowney
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney.
Steve Coogan – after the success gained with the movie starring Dame Judi Dench as ‘Philomena’ – brings to the big screen the fictional character that he has long embodied for BBC Radio 4, on the programme ‘On The Hour’: Alan Partridge.
The parodic radio host – who welds sports commentators with chat show presenters – in ‘Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’ is just as wonderfully conceited, petty, anal, idiosyncratic as he has been over the past twenty years, through all the possible multimedia platforms with the exception of the silver screen (as of yet) – TV news spoof, ‘The Day Today,’ ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You,’ sitcom ‘I’m Alan Partridge,’ webcom ‘Mid-Morning Matters,’ pseudo-documentary ‘Welcome To The Places Of My Life’ and an appearance on a faux talk show ‘Open Books with Martin Bryce.’
The Alan Partridge directed by Declan Lowney, finds Alan at the center of a siege, when a disgruntled fellow, DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney), decides to hold their station hostage after learning that he’s getting sacked by the new management.
Steve Coogan, accustomed as he is to wearing many hats – as actor-producer-screenwriter – gathered the co-creators of Alan’s original character to find a format and story for the film version. Armando Iannucci and Peter Baynham, along with Coogan have indeed found an entertaining key of newly presenting Alan without betraying his legacy.
The witty humour and pacing speed, keeps spirits high and will tickle you pink for the many gags that come along the way during the hazardous situation. The cleverly calibrated flick transports the British comic phenomenon on the other side of the pond with success. Director Declan Lowney, fulfils the comedic promise of a much loved icon, portraying Alan Partridge as relentlessly hilarious, deeply embarrassing and completely loveable.
Technical: B
Acting: B+
Story: B+
Overall: B+
Written by: Chiara Spagnoli Gabardi
