Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann relish their turns as wretched wastrels in this British cult classic from Bruce Robinson
Withnail and I is undeniably a cult film. Brimming with eccentricity and wit, a legendary piece of quotable fare (“I demand to have some booze!“), revered in the UK and required viewing upon starting college, but perhaps a little less pervasive stateside than some other British classics. Writer/director Bruce Robinson’s semi-autobiographical film is considered a comedy, albeit one perfused with tragic elements, encircling Richard E. Grant and Paul McGann as a pair of misanthropes each reckoning with their lives as an era, and a friendship, come to an end.
Set in the twilight of the 1960s, a decade fading as fast as the protagonists’ illusions, the film follows two out-of-work actors: the flamboyantly unhinged Withnail (a breakout turn from Richard E. Grant as this selfish and theatrical mess) and the more tightly wound, unnamed narrator (scripted as Marwood, played with repressed anxiety by Paul McGann). Trapped in a decaying Camden flat where the booze has dried up, the heating is off, and the only comfort is the occasional visit from their drug dealer Danny (Ralph Brown), the two decide they need a break. They head north to the Cumbrian countryside to stay in a cottage owned by Withnail’s indulgent and predatory Uncle Monty (a colorful and unsettling Richard Griffiths). Ill-prepared for the grim weather and frosty reception from the locals, they find no solace in the countryside, only new frustrations (and plenty of the old ones). Urban filth is traded for rural grime, as the pair face up to the truths that they are stuck in a rut, and one of them might be about to get out.
Robinson’s personally informed script is both offbeat and razor-sharp, laced with a tragicomic density of quotable lines, theatrical monologues, and bizarre situations. The comedy emerges from the characters, their expressions, their fears, their constant bickering. There’s a rhythm to their misery, a strange poetry to their dysfunction and banter. The film is also, quietly but insistently, about endings. It’s 1969, the end of a decade of human achievement and the free-love movement. Bohemian ideals are giving way to a more sobering time. For Withnail and Marwood, they’re nearly 30 with little to show for it. Reality, adulthood, and accountability, those joyless inevitabilities, are catching up. They remain lower class wastrels, downtrodden castoffs, a position reinforced by Monty’s expectations and debauched nature mirroring the exploitative and expectant nature of the upper-classes.
Visually, the film is steeped in dampness and shadow. Robinson avoids glamour or nostalgia. Interiors are dim, dusty, and claustrophobic; the countryside, while verdant, presents as inhospitable. There’s beauty, but it’s never comforting. The atmosphere mirrors the characters’ decay and listlessness. It all sounds depressing, but it is countered by the comedy and a rich vein of pathos that forms as we see the end of this toxic bromance approaching.
The Package
Criterion’s 4K treatment (supervised by director of photography Peter Hannan) delivers organic and strong color palettes and an image with a superb level of depth and detail. It really shows up the squalor and grime of this pair’s existence including dark pubs, oppressive clutter of their flat, to every grotty corner they huddle in. Textures of clothing and natural rendering of skin in closeups also impress. A fitting treatment of such a dark and dank film.
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Two audio commentaries, one from 2020 featuring director Bruce Robinson, and the other from 2001 featuring actors Ralph Brown and Paul McGann: The first was recorded during COVID lockdowns and is a very insightful and personal contribution. The second is a legacy commentary that tilts towards the more comedic, although both spend a good amount of time sharing anecdotes about the filming, as well as thoughts on the legacy of the film
- New short program featuring Robinson and actor Richard E. Grant: A recent interview of the pair running around 16 minutes with each discussing their inspirations and approach to the film
- Withnail and Us (1999), a documentary on the making of the film: Around 25 minutes in length, and features a host of interviews with key cast and crew members as well as a host of British comedic talent, reflecting on the films influence
- British Film Institute Q&A from 2017 with Robinson and Grant:
- Stills gallery featuring photographs by artist Ralph Steadman
- Trailer
- PLUS: An essay by critic David Cairns: In the liner notes booklet, which also contains still images and details on the 4K restoration
- Cover illustration by Ralph Steadman
The Bottom Line
Withnail and I is a bitter toast to the end of an era. A tragicomedy that blends dark humor and sharp wit, with a pervasive pathos. Criterion’s 4K is celebratory fare and a perfect way to wallow in the misery of this misbegotten pair of wastrels all over again.
Withnail and I is available on 4K-UHD via Criterion now
