How To Get Ahead In Advertising

Bruce Robinson, UK 1989, 95 minutes

How To Get Ahead In Advertising brought the writer and director of Withnail And I back together with Richard E. Grant, and that alone should compel most rational people to go and see it. It is the story of one advertising executives obsession for, relationship with and suffering caused by boils.

The film divides into two halves: the first hilarious and the second gruesome and surreal. At first, Richard E. GRant seems exactly as though Withnail had got a job and a shiny suit with the unique arrogance and bite of the way he spits out lines like "I don't need to look at the market research" or "I wouldn't care if you were so fat we had to put up scaffolding to feed you".

As the film progresses it turns from striaght comedy into black comedy and an eldritch study of duality. Not to be missed by any Withnail fans or, for that matter, anybody.

"Grant turns in a high-energy, bravura performance... outrageously brilliant... bursting with inspired scenes" - Time Out

Review by Bob Forsyth
Taken from EUFS Programme 1996-97