Films to Watch: Withnail and I

William Thornton recommends watching Withnail and I on your spare time.

When someone asks me for a film recommendation, my response is always the same; no matter who’s asking, what the circumstances are, or what sort of film they’re looking for, my answer will always be Withnail and I. Bruce Robinson’s 1986 semi-autobiographical dark comedy is my all-time favourite film, and it always will be.

The incredibly well-written cult movie follows the misadventures of two unemployed and down-trodden actors (the titular Withnail and ‘I’) as they decide to take a break from their depressingly bleak flat in late sixties Camden Town, and travel up to the countryside for a short holiday – what follows is a brilliant mishap full of swearing, angry northerners, and copious amounts of cigarettes and booze. Withnail and I is full of great performances, the best coming from the iconic Richard E. Grant in his career-defining role as the flamboyant alcoholic Withnail, Paul McGann as the anxious and thoughtful ‘I’, and, of course, the late Richard Griffiths as the hilariously camp and randy Uncle Monty. Moving on from the comedy elements of the film, Withnail and I also features some of the most profound and thoughtful pieces of dialogue ever put to screen, with a perfectly tragic ending that will no doubt stick with the viewer after the film has come to an end.