This 93%-Rated Black Comedy Is a Cult Yet Forgotten Masterpiece That Deserves to Be Rediscovered

Almost 40 years ago, Withnail and I was released, and since then, it seems everyone who has seen it has dreamed of moving to the British countryside and getting into a fight with their neighbors.

It has long since achieved cult status, despite seemingly resisting the very idea of a cult by all formal criteria – there's hardly any action: two unemployed actors drink, quarrel, leave town, and return.

It's a witty, bittersweet, and incredibly accurate film worthy of rediscovery.

What Is 'Withnail and I' About?

It's the late 1960s. Two unemployed actors, the caustic and self-destructive Withnail and his more reserved friend Marwood, pass their days in a cluttered apartment in Camden, living on the brink of poverty.

In an attempt to escape their circumstances, they embark on an impromptu vacation to the country estate of their eccentric, aesthete uncle, Monty, who has some questionable intentions.

The trip unfolds as a series of absurd and awkward situations. The inhospitable countryside, cold, hunger, and obsessive host attention only reinforce the feeling that these unfortunate companions have nowhere to escape.

'Withnail and I' Is the British Hangover Stretched Out Over Two Hours

The director turns to 1969, when the myth of the free 1960s began to crumble. Euphoric, countercultural optimism and a sense of endless freedom collide with economic instability and political fatigue.

The movie takes place during the last months of the decade, after the Summer of Love and Woodstock, but before the cynical 1970s fully began.

While Withnail and I could be considered part of the tradition of British social realism, Bruce Robinson hardly uses the usual tools. Instead of grandiose statements and declarations, the film embraces class and professional hopelessness.

In Robinson's version, anger remains among the youth, replaced by weariness, irony, and absurdist humor. The director avoids nostalgia – he doesn't romanticize bohemian poverty, drug frenzy, or London itself.

In 'Withnail and I', Richard E. Grant, Paul McGann, and Richard Griffiths Deliver Masterful Performances

The main strength of Withnail & I is the acting, without it, the balance between comedy and tragedy would collapse. Richard E. Grant's portrayal of Withnail is extremely two-faced – he simultaneously hates and admires himself.

Withnail has something of the Shakespearean actor about him: he is trapped in a cheap apartment and forced to perform grandeur for a sole audience member – his neighbor.

Behind his artistic outbursts lurks a panicked fear: the man suddenly realizes that life demands forward movement. Marwood, played by Paul McGann, grows tired of stagnation before he can admit it. One is destined to emerge from a prolonged youth while the other remains inside forever.

Richard Griffiths' portrayal of Uncle Monty adds an unsettling dimension to the film – his character is simultaneously absurd and sad. Beneath the affectation is the familiar loneliness of a man accustomed to living on the fringes of others' lives.

Robinson could have easily turned the characters into caricatures, but instead, he imbues them with human vulnerability. Even the most absurd lines become more than a collection of witty quotations – they offer a commentary on his own powerlessness.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Withnail and I'?

• Withnail and I has 84% from critics and 93% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.5/10.

• On Letterboxd, Withnail and I scored 4.0/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Withnail and I'?

Withnail and I is available to stream on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel.