- Actors: Steve Coogan, Lena Headey, Emma Gilmour, Susan Jane Tanner, Iain Mitchell
- Directors: John Duigan
- Writers: Steve Coogan, Henry Normal
- Producers: Andrew Macdonald, Callum McDougall, Duncan Kenworthy
- Classification: 12
- Studio: Universal
- VHS Release Date: 4 Aug 2003
- Run Time: 93 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000060NYI
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 11,001 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Although there are one or two belly laughs along the way, for the most part The Parole Officer gets by on the pleasantly old-fashioned charm of a latter-day Ealing comedy. And despite a handful of gross-out moments (involving a roller coaster at Blackpool, a severed head and a wasp) most of the humour comes from the interaction of a good ensemble cast.
It’s the first big-screen vehicle for Steve Coogan, who plays the titular officer as a watered-down, more likeable version of his most famous creation, Alan Partridge. After being set up by a corrupt detective Coogan’s hapless Simon Garden--in fact always identified as a Probation Officer, so presumably the film’s title is an attempt to attract a transatlantic audience--must recruit a motley gang of his ex-con clients to plan and execute a bank robbery in Manchester. Indeed, one of the film’s principal attractions is its affectionate use of that city centre as a setting instead of the more usual seedy London locations of most British caper-comedies.
Coogan’s gang are a familiarly dysfunctional bunch, redeemed by sympathetic performances from, notably, Om Puri as irascible serial bigamist George and the young Emma Williams as serial car thief Kirsty. Not enough effort goes into fleshing out the characters, though, and in particular Lena Headey as Coogan’s policewoman girlfriend is far too thinly sketched to seem convincing. However, much fun is had by all as the team bond, bicker and construct, A Team-style, the tools they need for the big heist. The bank raid itself is the film’s highlight and features a surprising deus ex machina appearance from a very distinguished guest star.
If The Parole Officer never stretches to the sublime heights (or psychological depths) of I’m Alan Partridge, it does play out in a brisk 90 minutes like an extended episode of Coogan’s Run; which is to say it’s got plenty of easygoing charm even if it never pushes any boundaries.
On the DVD: the handful of extra features include a surprisingly serious commentary from Coogan, cowriter Henry Normal, director John Duigan and producer Duncan Kenworthy. More interesting is the handful of deleted scenes, in which we find that some precious character development was sacrificed in the interests of pace (as well as a couple of perfectly good jokes). There's a 22-minute featurette, which isn't really a "making of" but just a series of interviews with the principal cast, plus the trailer and Atomic Kitten's "Eternal Flame" video. The picture is a good anamorphic (16:9) ratio with Dolby 5.1 sound. --Mark Walker
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
If you like Partrdige or Coogans run, you'll like this. If you like good English comedy films such as The Full Monty or Jonny English, then you'll love this, as its one of the best Ive seen in the last few years. The plot is basically a social worker who see's the good in others and has to fight his former employer over possession of a video tape that will send him to jail where he belongs. Its a great cast and a fantastic script, and Coogan is on top form, so buy it now while its on such a great offer!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Easily one of the funniest, though sadly overlooked and underrated, films of 2001, this is a fantastic comedy that everybody should see! Get it!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
You'd think that a man, who has just been punched on the nose by 2 scary looking guys and is trying to make a dramatic escape from the top of a roof, would do a bit more than say, "Augh...that hurt!" However, that's what makes it funny.
"The Parole Officer" is a nice little package of a comedy regarding the efforts of a somewhat quirky yet kind-hearted guy who decides to retrieve the evidence for a murder at all costs. The film displays everyday morality, and Steve Coogan performs marvallously well here - "I saw a man strangle a human being!...Well, an accountant."
This film is worth your money and time to watch. The great thing about is that it is not something typically British that is set in London, y'know, those stereotypes of Hugh Grant, etc.
"The Parole Officer" is a nice little package of a comedy regarding the efforts of a somewhat quirky yet kind-hearted guy who decides to retrieve the evidence for a murder at all costs. The film displays everyday morality, and Steve Coogan performs marvallously well here - "I saw a man strangle a human being!...Well, an accountant."
This film is worth your money and time to watch. The great thing about is that it is not something typically British that is set in London, y'know, those stereotypes of Hugh Grant, etc.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Good British fun
This was good fun with an undemanding plot, as long as you suspend belief. The characters were stereotyped but their frailties made you care what happened to them. Read more
Published 1 month ago by specialK
Great Fun Movie
WARNING!
This is NOT Dr Strangelove or Battleship Potempkin.
It's a good old-fashioned comedy/crime romp - more in the mould of Some Like It Hot than anything else... Read more
This is NOT Dr Strangelove or Battleship Potempkin.
It's a good old-fashioned comedy/crime romp - more in the mould of Some Like It Hot than anything else... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Peter Cathedral-Jones
skip and jump
The DVD was purchased as a used item and was very cheap. The downside was the DVD had lots of very visible scratches and skipped and jumped all the way through. Read more
Published 8 months ago by seb
Far from Ealing!
Some one described this as an Ealing type comedy. Ealing comedies, as far as I recall, did not pander to american audiences. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Monk
My name is Simon Garden, Im not a lunatic, i'm a probation officer...
This film is one from my childhood, and soon, just for the hell of it, i'm going to my local HMV to buy it, whether its £3.00 or £8. Read more
Published 14 months ago by J Bate
Very Funny - It Made The Whole Family Laugh !
A Great film this. I've lent this to other friends and family members to watch and they loved it. It is very good - it would definitely be a great present for someone.
Published on 20 Sep 2008 by Brendan T. Hole
Largely underrated comedy
From the tone of some of the negative reviews, there's no pleasing some people. 'The Parole Officer' is exactly what it looks like, a quirky and professional vehicle for Steve... Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2007 by lexo1941
The Parole officer
I thought the film was below average for Steve Coogan and there were not many laughs. The only thing that kept my interest was trying to see the number of times they padded out the... Read more
Published on 28 July 2007 by Mr. J. A. Stevens
cheered me up
I've had a terrible week this week and watching this really cheered me up. The Parole Officer is not Alan Partridge the movie but a fairly safe british comedy. Read more
Published on 6 May 2007 by Mr. A. P. Venables
Classic Comedy
Well this film just had me in laughs from starts to finish. It all starts with Steve C in an Office and leaning back in a chair as he falls back he says 's*it' in a innocent voice. Read more
Published on 5 April 2005
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