Bean (1997)

Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis' minds struck gold in the early nineties, combining Atkinson's astonishing talent for physical comedy and Curtis' magnificent writing ability to produce something that became such a staple of British history that Mr. Bean appeared in the opening ceremony for the London Olympics in 2012. The inevitable big screen adaptation in 1997 was a recipe for disaster; in a world where slapstick comedy was on the decline, the prospect of Bean taking the Hollywood plunge was worrisome to the point that it might sink the entire Bean ship. We shouldn't have worried. Rowan Atkinson proves he is a master of physical comedy with a genuinely hilarious performance but he's supported by an insanely good Peter MacNicol whose initial reaction when Mr. Bean defaces a priceless painting remains one of the funniest things to ever grace our screens. Bean is laugh out loud funny from the opening sequence, and the deadpan reaction from baffled characters remind you of what Borat (2006) could have been. After Bean is arrested for causing panic at an airport, MacNicol's David is forced to take responsibility, facing the police officer in charge who asks him "He's a genius huh?". A despondent David offers "That's what they say" to which the officer sighs, looks at Bean who's behind a two way mirror (and unaware of the fact) performing ridiculous physical actions, and replies "Well he looks like a fruitcake to me". That's the level we're talking, and it's fantastic. Bean had no right to be this funny, proven by the questionable follow up, Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007) but Mel Smith's film should not be swept aside, it remains thoroughly amusing and equally ridiculous today. 8.0/10