Jimmy Carr In Concert [Live] [DVD]

OK. I admit that I am a HUGE fan of Jimmy Carr so this review was always going to be biased, and it would have been easy to award 5 stars without even seeing the show, but no, I have waited until I have watched the DVD + ALL the extras before writing this and I can safely award it 5 stars without predjuduce!

This is Jimmy's 4th DVD, and like the others his performance is spilt up into sections were he simply stands there and delivers his legendary trademark one liners, then sections were he may sit down at a desk/sofa and branch off into side topics. It is impossible to say if this is better or worse than his previous efforts as humour is subjective but I found myself laughing out loud several times, particularly when he is interacting with the audience. This is fast becoming Jimmy's greatest ( & funniest) area of expertise and he has honed his own brand of audience participation into an art form (watch out for the Henry VIII scene which is just soooo funny when he includes someones MUM into his improvised act!)

The extras are very good but it is a case of quality over quantity and there is really ONE extra feature worth watching - he has recorded some (genuine) audience participation & hecklers and then a team of animaters have made little cartoons of them using many different styles - see Jimmy as a muppet, a 2D drawing, a Monty-Python-esque animation, a 3D claymation model etc etc. These are very funny and can easily stand repeated viewings. It lasts about 36 minutes and is one of the better and most original extras I have ever seen on a DVD. (One gripe; as these are recorded at live gigs all over the country the sound quality can vary immensely but I really am splitting hairs)

Please remember that like all Jimmy's shows there is a certain amount of bad language and repeated use of the C & F words, but this IS an 18 certificate. (Interestingly at one point in the show he "picks on" a 14 year old in the audience there with his parents so clearly this illustrates how parental consent should indicate wheter you let an under 18 watch it?)

All in all, if you already own any of Jimmy's previous 3 DVD's then you know what to expect and there is no reason why this should not be part of your DVD collection.

Jimmy Carr is the ultimate comedian. Nobody else can pull off so many one-liners, rip into hecklers or shave closer to the funny bone than Jimmy. Anyone with even a vague idea of how comedy works will appreciate just how good he is.

First a word of warning: this is not comedy for the easily offended. This is not family-friendly. As Jimmy himself states on the box: "It's rude, crude and offensive but those aren't the only reasons you'll enjoy it."
He's right, too: beneath the risque jokes and smutty humour is a comedic sensibility and intelligence handled by a professional whose tongue is sharper than he dresses. Jimmy knows what he's doing, knows how far he can push it, and takes great delight in seeing his audience squirm. In the hands of anyone else it would just fall apart.

It's hard to say whether 'In Concert' is better or worse than the rest of his DVDs. It's business as usual: some stand-up one-liners, some sit down read-aloud moments, audience participation: indeed, the only new thing brought to the table here is a spot of jazz midway through. Again, Jimmy admits that on the cover: "This DVD is exactly the same as last year's except every single word." Same format, new set.

And why should he change it? It's a winning formula. Rest assured, if you like Jimmy Carr, you'll be right at home here, and you won't be dissapointed. Brilliant.

I went to the DVD record and it was brilliant - an hour an a half of belly laughing. His jokes are not for the easily offended, but he delivers them with such confidence and a glint in his eye that you're easily bought in. I hope they included his interaction with the audience on the DVD as the banter was hilarious. A must see!