Stan & Ollie (2018)

Taking a trip back to the beginnings of Hollywood can be pretty fascinating depending on how it's treated. There have been quite a handful of movies that can display the rise and fall of these actors or singers that can be either romanticized or feel rather authentic and honest. While I don't go searching hard for a number of these types of movies, I won't deny that I can be a bit of sucker for those that feel old-fashioned. This brings us to Stan & Ollie, a biographical film directed by Jon S Baird and written by Jeff Pope. There hasn't been much marketing for the film but it had been popping up in awards nominations this season. It received positive reviews upon its release but it didn't open into US theaters until this past month. I had been searching for something to cleanse my palate after Holmes & Watson left a horrible taste after my viewing. I went in completely blind not knowing anything about the subject matter in question and left it pleasantly surprised by this trip to the early days of Hollywood with these two comedians.

Plot: The story follows the later years of comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy as they embark on their last tour together while trying to work on their strained personal relationship. What's nice and familiar about how this premise is told is that it embraces the kind of work these men did together during their time and recognizes the struggles associated with the beginnings of that industry. The  financial and mismanagement limitations of their era certainly take an effect and contributes to the rough state of the bond between these men. Thankfully it avoids the cliche of going full depression "oh look at how sad things are" and instead treats it with respect. While it may not possess very much grandiose some audiences may be looking for in biographical tales, this knows how much story content it needs to showcase and executes very well in a timely manner with very smooth pacing.

Characters: The people to focus on are Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C Reilly). Steve embodies the kind of stoic but agitated state Stan was going through very well. His performance does a great job as it embodies a balance of stage-humor and the drama needed here. John's acting is great to where he becomes somebody else as he translates the kind of man Oliver was in regards to the comedic pieces and reacting to the hardships he endured. The chemistry between these two actors makes this biopic a solid worthy watch, especially in moments where the tension can boil out for the worst. Honorable mentions go to Ida Kitaeva Laurel (Nina Arianda) and Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) for their welcome acting chops as the wonderful supporting wives of the comedic duo.

Overall Consensus: Stan & Ollie is an underrated look back on a comedic duo that's strengthened by the charm/performances of its acting, respect for the hardships they faced, and a balanced tone fitting for a biopic. ⭑⭑⭑⭑🎟 Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes PG-13

Reasons to watch it: You are a fan of any of the aforementioned actors. You are either familiar with the titular duo and want to see how they are treated or unfamiliar with them and want to learn about them. You are enjoy old-fashioned Hollywood biopics that don't romanticize their subject matter or tell false lies about them.

Reasons to avoid it: You aren't a fan of any of the aforementioned actors. You dislike Hollywood biopics.