#163 - Johnny English – (77%)

Next up is another comedy that the Tomatoes doesn’t like maybe it isn’t Disney after all this British comedy follows one of Rowen Atkinsons characters developed from the Barclays bank adverts. Namely Johnny English a MI7 spy on a mission to save the world. It was released in 2003 using a budget of $40m it went onto recoup $160.5m from the box-office the British loved it but he American were a bit mixed with it highlighted by IMDb’s 6.2/10 and then 33% from Rotten Tomatoes. It stars Rowan Atkinson (obviously), Natalie Imbruglia,

Ben Miller and the evil and villainous John Malkovich.

Launching straight into the plot. Johnny English is kind and well intentioned but as clumsy as hell and could bring down Buckingham Palace with a click of pen. He has been assigned to protect the newly restored Crown Jewels which of course are stolen. He tracks down the clues which all point towards Pascal Sauvage a French entrepreneur who helped restore the jewels. His allegations are laughed out of MI7 but English and Bough still continue their investigations and learn his plans for taking over the whole of the UK but how is English and Bough going to stop the evil plans.

For those that like Rowen you will love this movie. Yes it is stupid and silly but it will still make you laugh. The scene where they parachute into Pascal’s tower block in London to see what evidence they can get hold of. English lands on the block next door which is the City Hospital and he pulls a gun on the patients and herds them together in one room like a hostage situation only to see Bough in the correct building opposite. All very funny and it is very much the cringe at the buffoon type humour but somehow works better. You feel more like laughing rather than ashamed for laughing which happens with many comedies. This one works and is done very well. Yes the story and the evil plans are ridiculous and just plain stupid but it is funny enough to get over that and allows you to laugh at it as well and the proposed humour. What is there not to like?