There have been movie spin-offs of British TV sitcoms before, from On The Buses to George And Mildred to Kevin & Perry Go Large, but none of them have made £2.5 million at the UK box office on their first day of release. But that is what The Inbetweeners Movie has done, having captured the rudeness and sheer daftness of the TV series (which only ran for 18 episodes) and turning into 2011’s must-see movie comedy.
Part of the reason for The Inbetweeners’ phenomenal success is that it doesn’t just appeal to teenagers, who laugh at the adventures of four average blokes the same age as them, but it’s also funny for grown-ups, who are either deliciously horrified watching their antics or red-cheeked as they remember being like that themselves a few years back.
So, having followed the boys – Will (Bird), Neil (Harrison), Simon (Thomas) and Jay (Buckley) – through their final years at school (and numerous failed lunges at the opposite sex), this feature-length adventure catches up with them as the 18-year-olds head off to Crete with the promise (thanks, Jay) that it will be a haven for “sex, minge, fanny and booze”. (Note to parents in case you’ve not picked up on this already – The Inbetweeners Movie is strictly for teenagers over 15 and not for the faint of heart).
It’s exactly what you’d expect as Simon pines for ex Carli, Will wants to see ruins rather than chase girls and Jay makes up more fantastical stories about his love life, but that’s part of the movie’s charm – it’s familiar, cheeky and embarrassing at every turn. A must-see for fans of the series, and contender for rudest/funniest film of the summer.
Is The Inbetweeners Movie suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
No scary moments but parents should note this movie is for over 15s only due to explicit scenes, language and sexual situations that would make Peter Stringfellow blush.
If you like this, why not try: Easy A, Napoleon Dynamite, Gregory's Girl, Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure, Ferris Bueller's Day Off,