The Inbetweeners 2

Director: Iain Morris, Damon Beesley
Cast: Simon Bird, Joe Thomas, James Buckley, Blake Harrison
Length: 96 minutes
Country: UK

Back in 2011, we all bid what we thought would be a fond farewell to the four friends from Rudge Park Comprehensive. After enduring ‘the lads holiday gone wrong’, the boys were about to go their separate ways and embark on the next chapter of their lives. Due to the films phenomenal box-office success though, it came as no surprise that a sequel was announced as being in the works and less than a year later that most arbitrary promise has materialised on screens. But despite the lacklustre marketing campaign and slowly withering fan base, it might actually surprise a few that The Inbetweeners 2 isn’t only quite good, but in some respects it may actually better the first.

Once again, the story takes the lads abroad, following on from the same gimmick trope as the first and many other TV-to-Film leaps. But really, what else could you do with big screen format for a property like this? England is just too damn small for them now and there’s no going back. Journeying to visit Jay on his gap year in Australia, the friends manage to find themselves in even more trouble than the trip was worth, and the true reason behind their presence there slowly dawns upon each of them.

It’s the focus on the four boys’ friendship and chemistry that really shines

The comedy since the last film has stepped up considerably, treading into more US influenced gross-out set pieces this time around. While enough to put some off, once the film has you in its frame of mind then you begin to take the puke, spunk and poo jokes as they come with an agreeable smile. The waterpark sequence in particular manages to border on Farrelly Brothers levels of extreme body comedy, and becomes the film’s comedy highlight. Some have called the film misogynistic towards its treatment of women in the film, but at no point in the packed laughing theatre do you ever feel as though people, or the film, are laughing at the women in these situations. The male gaze is restricted to the warped, and rather pathetic perspectives, of its lustful adolescents become men. The film is laughing at the inadequacies and failings of their own accord, and if anything the film feels far more restricted in its gaze that its predecessor.

But it’s the focus on the four boys’ friendship and chemistry that really shines. One of the most memorable and prolonged scenes features a broken-down car in the outback and the sheer sincerity in these short but tender moments are actually pretty heart-warming. These short lines and interactions between the four are often hilarious, sometimes understated scenes. Each character gets a moment of reflection to embrace their own personas from the series, more so than the original, and offer up some of the best character moments of the entire franchise. Will (Bird) must put his true friends ahead of his craving for popularity. Simon, for the first time, finds himself fleeing from an exceptionally perilous relationship, played terrifically by a devoted Joe Thomas. Jay (Buckley) gets some of the most honest and comically tragic moments of the film, and it really exposes the true heart of the character. The biggest shame is that Neil (Harrison) is once again relegated to being the “dumb one” of the group. While Harrison sells the hell out of the role, he lacks nearly all of the depth and exploration that the other three receive. It still doesn’t stop him from being funny in his unwavering devotion to Jay, but you’d wish that they’d done more with this this time around.

The big-screen direction gets to stretch its legs more, with Jay’s fantasy email fantasy sequence filmed in a (seemingly) single-take that fully exploits both the films scope and the characters warped mind-palace. These are not inherently deep films or stories, even Morris and Beesley’s attempted jabs at the “gap yah“, bohemian, pseudo-spiritual students feels somehow hollow in its condescension. Although it’s still humorous to watch Will viciously putdown a dread toting Trustafarian. But the weight of adaptation still endures, with some smaller moments either discarded or forgotten about later with no payoff. The film also matches similar beats to the original film, including its dash- for-the-finish climax that probably could have done with a little more time put towards closure, instead of yet another credits montage sequence for good measure.

But the film does its job as a short, breezy comedy for the summer audience masses. The characters and dedicated performances pull it through to the end. The film will satisfy long time devotees of the series, but probably won’t do anything for newcomers. While not the most climactic or resolute tribute to the boys that you might have hoped for, it certainly takes enough care in its content and emphasis on their friendship to satisfy plenty. It works better than many would initially suggest, and it’s sad to see these characters go off into the sunset for the last time.

Photo Source: Header Image, Image 1