The Parole Officer
Time Out says
Messrs Partridge and Calf are conspicuous by their absence from Coogan's first feature, which at least deserves credit for opting not to rehash the comedy star's brightest TV moments. Instead, Coogan and his co-writer have come up with an Ealing-style crime caper shaped around the exploits of an inept, irritating but cheerily well-meaning probation officer. Transferred from Blackpool to Manchester, Coogan's title character drops out of the service after tangling with corrupt police inspector Dillane, who's ready to pin a gangland murder on him - unless Coogan can retrieve a surveillance video from a bank vault, proving the cop is the killer. The tape's existence allows Coogan to set up a daring heist with a team of misfits (bigamist Puri, computer whiz Miller, hardman Waddington) drawn from former clients. With the bland policewoman Heady popping up as the routine love interest, it's easy to see where the rest is going. For the most part it chugs along pleasantly.
Details
Release details
Duration:
94 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
John Duigan
Screenwriter:
Steve Coogan, Henry Normal
Cast:
Steve Coogan
Lena Heady
Om Puri
Steven Waddington
Ben Miller
Jenny Agutter
Emma Williams
Stephen Dillane
Omar Sharif
Lena Heady
Om Puri
Steven Waddington
Ben Miller
Jenny Agutter
Emma Williams
Stephen Dillane
Omar Sharif