Universal Pictures, Studiocanal and Working Title Productions present a PG rated 90 minute film directed by Steven Bendelack and starring Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Steve Pemberton (Vicar), Lily Atkinson (Lily at the Stereo), Preston Nyman (Boy with train), Emma de Caunes (Sabine), Willem Dafoe (Carson Clay), Karel Roden (Emil), Max Baldry (Stepan) with a number of supporting actors and chickens.
One of my dear friends once told me I am sometimes too kind in writing my reviews, that because I am a nice person I try to bring out the nice in everything including my movie critiques. I must say with this film, I'll try! I found myself looking at by friend Leigh several times in disbelief or amazement wondering if it were just me or is this film a bit off the wall.
First off Mr. Bean hardly speaks and for what he does say you can't really understand him. Of course I know it's his character role but enough is sometimes enough. If I had met him in real life I think I would have had him committed or at least maced. His antics are quite funny but sometimes like the writing in this film a bit over the top. Thank God for facial expressions and crude sometimes humorous body displays because without them I would have wondered why I don't have my own feature film on the big screen yet. For many of the generation that follows this character, Mr. Bean, I am sure you will love this rendition but for the well educated intellect don't expect a creation of another world wonder. But hey it is what it is!
The acting in the film was exceptional for the well adapted story line but how can you go wrong as a lead character when you have no lines so to speak or not speak that is! The child actor was a delight along with Dafoe and what minimal but satisfying role Emma de Caunes portrays as the eventual love interest to the quirky yet psychotic somewhat mime-like character on crack, Mr. Bean.
It is June in London and Mr. Bean who apparently purchased a raffle ticket for a trip to Cannes and the beach is the surprised winner holding the winning number 919, not 616. He sets off on his adventure along with a camcorder he also won in the trip drawing. Along the way he creates catastrophes as only Mr. Bean could do of course and gets most of it on his camcorder which ultimately plays the climatic star in the finale.
Throughout his journey you get to see some of the most astounding cinematography from the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower to breath-taking country sides and ocean vistas all accompanied by an enjoyable and fitting score. Personally these scenes throughout Paris made me long for another visit to that beautiful country which is filled with some of the most remarkable architecture known to modern man.
When Mr. Bean ends up on a train separating a young boy from his papa he is faced with trying to unite them at their final destination, the "Cannes Film Festival". There are a number of humorous moments surrounding the two main characters during this venture like the chicken run, street opera, and the overall cross country hike to the beach where they join up with Sabine eventually uniting the boy with his papa who happens to be one of the famous Cannes judges.
The film is filled with slapstick and subtitles which tend to add a bit of international finesse to the story. If it wasn't for the breath-taking views and local cultural delights along the way I may have been asking myself if the beans in my coffee may have been tampered with since this film is truly a bit crazy and off the wall. I admit I laughed several times but thankfully the film was under 90 minutes because if any longer it might have been a cinematic travesty. Albeit if you love this character and the mindless speechless humor he portrays than this one's for you, enjoy!
Reporting for Talkin' Pets, I'm Jon Patch.