The Inbetweeners 2 – film review

I queued outside a cinema last week to watch THE comedy event of the year – The Inbetweeners 2. Undisputedly popular with pretty much everyone, breakfast news reported just a few hours later that it had already broken every UK box office record. But is the hype correct?

Firstly I must say the team have done a good job to make two decent movies after three really, really good television series. The films will never quite have the relatable hilarity of the series but the winding transition from TV to film is never easy – why do you think The Simpsons took twenty years?

I’m gonna be the bitch here but I can’t help thinking they should have just LEFT IT at the first movie, which was more fun and had a good ending. The Inbetweeners 2 is still funny enough – with a couple of  ‘outrageous’ scenes which will undoubtedly be the most talked about – but it just lacked something. It didn’t ever feel quite right.

It’s only 96 minutes long but whereas the first film felt like an extended episode, this film really feels like a movie. It’s less realistic and more over the top – and this could divide opinion among fans. After all, a lot of the appeal of the show were the situations we could all relate to – learning to drive, going to your first gig, camping with friends. I’m not sure how many people can relate to Neil killing a dolphin with a meatball sandwich at the Ozzy equivalent of Sea World – but of course it gets some cheap laughs along the way.

The good news is that the characters still felt basically the same, though Will was even MORE of a dickhead. I get the feeling the writers were cautious to mature the boys realistically – but still keep endearing and popular personality traits. And it was was great to see the lads again but (like I said up there) I don’t really think the film was necessary and that’s my main gripe. The first film tied up the story so nicely – we knew the lads were okay, non-virgins (important) and Simon was over that bitch Carly (very important). I can only surmise that it was hard to turn down the inevitable millions of pounds a successful sequel would bring in. Which is a bit sad.

However all in all, the film was enjoyable and funny with some good lines, scenes, haircuts and of course the serious bits that test the boys friendship. In all honesty the best thing for me was the fantastic mockery of rich fucking annoying trust fund kids who go travelling. Pretentious twats, we all hate them don’t we? But of course you can now guess who Will wanted to be friends with! Told you he was a bigger dick than usual.