Bob's Weekend (1996)

Director:

Jevon O'Neill

Writers:

Jevon O'Neill (written by)
Jayson Rothwell (written by)

Plot Keywords:

Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bruce Jones	...	Robert Askew
Brian Glover	...	The Boss
Ricky Tomlinson	...	Jack
Anna Jaskolka	...	Brenda Askew
Billy Boden	...	Ste
Charlotte Jones	...	Angela
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Babs Adams	...	Gran
Robert Beckett	...	Black
James Chambers	...	Voice of Albert Broadbent / Heist Gang Member
Hayley Elliott	...	Young Angela
Tommy Eytle	...	Frances
Lucy Fields	...	Voice of Woman on Television (voice)
Grant Freeman	...	Heist Gang Member
Mark Goodier	...	Voice of Gary Best (voice)
Paul Greenwood	...	Organist
Suzanne Hall	...	Hotel Receptionist (as Suzzane Hall)
Mandy Hestor	...	Sheila (as Mandy Hester)
Stacey Heywood	...	Kimberley
Alan Hulse	...	Des
Ken Kitson	...	Landlord
Dave Long	...	Heist Gang Member
Jack Marsden	...	Mad Axe Murderer
Michelle Myers	...	Kirsty
Miss Nancy	...	Gypsy
Amer Nazir	...	Waiter
Peter O'Conner	...	Doug
Seamus O'Neill	...	Colin
Rick Pannone	...	Heist Gang Member
Enn Reitel	...	Voice of Man on Television (voice)
Samia Smith	...	Kimberley's friend (as Samia Ghadie)
Margo Stanley	...	Guardian Angel
Dean Williamson	...	Blue
Stuart Wolfenden	...	Ed

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:15

Filming Locations:

Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

Erinfilm

Really quite good...

... not a proper review this, more a series of random comments in an attempt to redress the balance.

If I was writing a "proper" review I'd do a little bit of research, structure this into paragraphs and chose a title quote. As it is, while I enjoyed the film I hadn't planned to post a comment until I saw the low score (though from only 31 votes) and scathing comments already posted.

So to stand up for Bob's Weekend I say ignore the somewhat jaunty, cheesy title - this isn't a British sex farce from the late 70s, but a dark, occasionally surreal take on a man's journey to the edge of suicide.

I never usually try to reference other users' comments in a negative way as it's bad mannered, but some of the views expressed under this entry shocked me with their perceptions. One of the few positive reviews suggested that Coronation St. fans would like it - would they?!!? - and another suggested that Bruce Jones is flat. To me, he's not flat, he's underplaying. There's a clear actoral direction running throughout - to cite Jones as being wooden is the same as criticising the two fairground attendants for being unnaturalistic. It's clearly been guided as such, just as the heavily stylised beating they give Jones is deliberately unrealistic.

What I really admired most about Bob's Weekend was the writing, which was well above standard for a film. Okay, it veers into uneasy territory when it tries explicit comedy - Brian Glover's cameo unbalances the film while he's on screen and the final pay-off is a stinker - but with musings on the nature of time and the value of life this isn't something you'll see every day.

There are other plusses, too, but, like I said, I never planned to write a review. All I can say is... give it a go. 7/10.