10/10. An infinitely quotable and hilarious cult comedy

Bruce Robinson’s 1987 Withnail and I is my absolute favourite comedy film.

Set in 1969 with a great period soundtrack, two unemployed alcohol enthusiasts, Withnail, and ‘I’ (Marwood - although his name is not spoken in the film), acquire the key to a remote country cottage from Withnail’s uncle Monty, and go on holiday – by mistake.

Hilarity ensues during encounters with bizarre locals, the harsh outdoor elements, hares, chickens, a predatory lovesick uncle - and a bull.

There are excellent performances from stressed out Marwood (Paul McGann) and the fabulously flamboyant, predatory and eccentric Uncle Monty (Richard Griffiths). The standout performance though is Richard E Grant’s genius portrayal of Withnail. This was Richard’s first film and he should have won an Oscar for this, no doubt. The best portrayal of an alcoholic I think I’ve ever seen (by a man who doesn’t drink).

There is a tone of bleakness overhanging proceedings and glimpses of sadness at the prospect of a true friendship ending, with a mixture of pain and happiness. Their visitors upon their return home (a great Ralph Brown as Danny the drug dealer and Eddie Tagoe, as the Marwood fear inducing, Presuming Ed) also hint at the end of an era, literally, with the end of the swinging 1960s coming, as well as Withnail and Marwood’s friendship.

Ending with Withnail’s fantastic and appropriate monologue from Hamlet, "What a piece of work is a man!" He could, indeed, have played the Dane. In this monologue, Hamlet is melancholy over the contrast between the best that men aspire to be, and how they actually act in life. Withnail knows what he could have achieved, but his life hasn’t worked out that way.

“A coward you are, Withnail! An expert on bulls you are NOT!”

“We’ve gone on holiday by mistake, we’re in this cottage here, are you the farmer?”

“Stop saying that, Withnail, of course he's the f***ing farmer!”