Stan & Ollie

"I'll miss us when we're gone."

"So will you."

In 1953, Stan Laurel (Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (Reilly) travel to Great Britain for a comedy tour.  It is an opportunity for them to perform together and build momentum for their next film: a Robin Hood comedy.  They use the travel time on the tour to work on material, even though their film producer is elusive.

While they enjoy working together, old wounds start to resurface.  Sixteen years earlier, their films were popular, but contract negotiations pulled them apart.

The tour producer, Bernard Delfont (Jones), does not promote their shows or understand their appeal.  Audiences love the show and as they start making public appearances, the shows are sold out.  On stage, they are a well-oiled machine, but life off stage is not as rosy.  The tension increases with the arrival of their wives Ida (Arianda) and Lucille (Henderson).  Can their friendship and careers survive the tour?

Laurel and Hardy were an iconic comedy duo.  They made 107 films together: a combination of silent, feature-length, and short films.

The Good:

Where to begin.  The story, by Jeff Pope, focuses on a specific point in their careers: it opens at the height of their careers in 1937 and then the rest of the film is the 1953 tour.  It takes a look at the private lives of these legends, while also showing why audiences love them.

The performances are great.  Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly may not seem like obvious choices, but they really deliver.  Both wore prosthetics to mimic the well-known look of their characters, and studied their mannerisms.  They have the difficult task of recreating iconic Laurel and Hardy acts, while making it look easy / natural.  Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda also wanted to bring their characters to life, while paying homage to these women.  They all work well together and make the characters come to life.

The Bad:

No real complaints.

Other Comments:

-I loved this movie... it was a fun tribute, without being overly sentimental.  It also focused on the end of their career, while still lovingly looking back at their heyday.

-The end credits feature clips and photos of Laurel and Hardy, from the the real events depicted in the film.  It made me want to go out and watch Laurel and Hardy films... starting with Way Out West

-The story is inspired by the book "Laurel and Hardy: The British Tours" by A.J. Marriot (there is a part I and part II).

-While the film was not nominated for any Oscars, it was nominated for several British Academy Film Awards.

Stan & Ollie (2018) 98 minutes

Director: Jon S. Baird

Starring: Steve Coogan as Stan Laurel

John C. Reilly as Oliver Hardy

Shirley Henderson as Lucille Hardy

Nina Arianda as Ida Laurel

Rufus Jones as Bernard Delfont

Danny Huston as Hal Roach