Withnail And I

The ubiquitous student quote-a-longs and drinking games place of protection’t dented the freshness of writer/director Bruce Robinson’s 1987 autobiographical comedy, as struggling thesps Richard E. Accord and Paul McGann head on ‘holiday’ to getting away from their failure.

The film is celebrated for the brackish eloquence of its dialogue and the bravura huge-screen debut of Accord as Withnail. But just as essential is Robinson’s command of texture and tone: the faded period detail of the non-vacillation ’60s is impeccable, while the swerve to tragedy is seamless. A career high for all concerned, including ’80s British cinema.