Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (Lowney, 2013)
It’s been a pretty busy time lately, which explains how I failed to note the centenary of updates to this newsletter. Thanks to all of you for subscribing. I’m really enjoying putting these together.
One thing hasn’t gone quite as I expected. I thought I would be able to find more unequivocal recommendations from my back catalogue – films that I loved and that are readily available either on streaming or digital rental – but haven’t come across all that many. Maybe I was a much tougher critic in those days …
Anyway, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is a film I love to go back to regularly: A beloved character, played to the hilt by Steve Coogan, given the justified big screen treatment. In this story, Partridge goes from easygoing mid-morning local radio announcer to a full-fledged hostage negotiator and it is exquisite from beginning to end.
Here’s the meaty bit of the review I wrote for FishHead magazine back in November 2013. It’s worth reading the whole thing, even if I do say so myself.
The time is the present and sportscaster, and former TV chat show host, Partridge has carved out a modest middle-aged career for himself as host of Mid-Morning Matters on local radio station North Norfolk Digital. He has a sponsored car (with some of the trimmings), he’s no longer living in a caravan and, frankly, things are looking up. But the winds of change are blowing through the Broads.
NND has new owners and they want a change of format – less talk, more easy listening – and a name change to Shape of all things. Some of the older voices are concerned for their jobs but Alan knows how to look after himself, ensuring that lovable Irish rogue Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney) gets the chop first. When Pat returns to the studio brandishing a shotgun and takes the staff hostage it’s up to Alan to make use of his notable talent for empathy and become a siege negotiator and hero of the hour.
As a mockery of a radio world that I know only too well, the Alan Partridge movie is absolutely razor sharp. It’s a world populated by not-quite-grown-ups who would stab their best friends in the back for a shot at a drive-time slot. As a satire of modern life and all its dribbling inanity, it is hilariously painful.
Finally, as a big screen vehicle for one of the greatest comic characters ever created, it is without peer. Some of us are old enough to remember when film versions of British television comedies meant Are You Being Served? on the Costa Brava. This is not that. Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is the funniest film of the year and funniest British film since Four Lions.
If you’ve ever worked in commercial radio or been made redundant, especially made redundant from commercial radio, you will love this film.
“Just sack Pat!”
Where to find Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Aotearoa: Digital rental from AroVision and Apple
Australia: Streaming on Stan and Britbox
USA: Streaming with ads on Roku, Vudu or Redbox or digital rental
UK: Streaming on ITVx and Studiocanal Presents
Further reading
Over at RNZ I reviewed the new Blu-ray collectors’ edition of Tarantino & Rodriguez’ Grindhouse from 2007. It’s a very handsome product, I must say.
