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- GTP_Duke
OK, let me say up front that the missus and I have thought Rowan Atkinson is really really funny since the Blackadder series, and we like his Mr. Bean character too. So that explains why we thought this movie was funny despite the fact that it was exactly what you'd expect, and that Bond parodies are overdone to begin with.
For what it is, this movie was very entertaining. Johnny English is a bumbling, fourth-rate functionary in the British Secret Service, who suddenly finds himself (with his long-suffering office mate) as the best agent England has available to put in the field (his fault, of course). He's out to find the thief of the obligatory Crown Jewels (stolen while he was guarding them, of course).
The villian, Pascal Sauvage, is played with charm and grace (and zee most out-RAY-geousss Franch accent-eh) by John Malkovich. The super-sexy-secret-agent love interest is played as the perfect deadpan straight-woman by Natalie Imbroglia, quite competently. Lord knows I could never flirt with Rowan Atkinson and maintain a straight face, so the woman obviously has some acting ability.
The plot and jokes are fairly (if not totally) predictable, but Atkinson is just so damn good that he carries it off. From Blackadder, he actually has the acting talent to be suave, debonair, and elegant as the pseudo-Bond character requires, despite his goofy appearance. From Mr. Bean, he's got the slapstick, bumbling, and bizarre humor that matches his looks. It's his ability to switch seamlessly from one to the other that saves this movie and makes it truly funny.
The car chase scene is great, too, with plenty of opportunity to hear the Aston Martin Vanquish wail its gorgeous song, in addition to some funny twists.
Probably has no repeat-viewing potential at all, but definitely worth seeing once.
For what it is, this movie was very entertaining. Johnny English is a bumbling, fourth-rate functionary in the British Secret Service, who suddenly finds himself (with his long-suffering office mate) as the best agent England has available to put in the field (his fault, of course). He's out to find the thief of the obligatory Crown Jewels (stolen while he was guarding them, of course).
The villian, Pascal Sauvage, is played with charm and grace (and zee most out-RAY-geousss Franch accent-eh) by John Malkovich. The super-sexy-secret-agent love interest is played as the perfect deadpan straight-woman by Natalie Imbroglia, quite competently. Lord knows I could never flirt with Rowan Atkinson and maintain a straight face, so the woman obviously has some acting ability.
The plot and jokes are fairly (if not totally) predictable, but Atkinson is just so damn good that he carries it off. From Blackadder, he actually has the acting talent to be suave, debonair, and elegant as the pseudo-Bond character requires, despite his goofy appearance. From Mr. Bean, he's got the slapstick, bumbling, and bizarre humor that matches his looks. It's his ability to switch seamlessly from one to the other that saves this movie and makes it truly funny.
The car chase scene is great, too, with plenty of opportunity to hear the Aston Martin Vanquish wail its gorgeous song, in addition to some funny twists.
Probably has no repeat-viewing potential at all, but definitely worth seeing once.
that guy is great! I watched the movie and your right it is worth seeing once. I saw both this and bad boys 2 on the same day but I liked bad boys 2 better....however some parts in johnny english were pretty funny. did you see the guy with the orange curly hair, eyepatch, missing teeth, and bannana scars on both cheeks at the end? lol that was funny!
