LIFE ON THE ROAD/ DAVID BRENT: LIFE ON THE ROAD
UK, 2016, 90 minutes, Colour.
Ricky Gervais, Ben Bailey Smith, Tom Bennett.
Directed by Ricky Gervais.
If you are a fan of Ricky Gervais’ very successful British television series, The Office, you would remember immediately that David Brent is the central character. Whether you have been wondering what happened to David Brent after The Office may not be a demanding or immediate question – but here is the answer.
Ricky Gervais has many fans who have enjoyed his television series, The Office as well as the contrived interviews in Extras, and have seen him in many film. He is also compared the Golden Globe Awards several times. One of the difficulties in assessing Ricky Gervais and David Brent is that while David Brent can be stupidity personified, Ricky Gervais has a lot of the appearance and mannerisms of Brent when he compares the Golden Globes. Who is the real Ricky Gervais? Who is the real David Brent?
David Brent has dreamt of being a rock and roll star going out onto a but is somewhat stuck in his Rep job for a laundry products company. We see him on the road, already manifesting quite some insensitivity to those he is dealing with. He is even worse back in the office, most workers cringing in his presence though there is a receptionist who is rather sympathetic, one of the women working there who is a touch in love with him and Nigel, a somewhat idiotic co-worker who plays along with his jokes and performance (and played by Tom Bennett who was the rather simple landowner in Love & Friendship).
The device of the film is a documentary being made about David Brent, his ambitions, his rounding up a rock group, his going on tour – and while they have a lot of footage of him in action, the camera always seems to be around when he is talking off the record, picking up so many of his insensitive remarks and highlighting his complete self-deception.
He imagines himself as a young rock star but he is definitely not, despite his clothes, despite his singing, despite his gyrating while singing, despite his being one of the boys with the band. By and large they find him very difficult and do not communicate with him unless they agree to be paid £25 an hour to sit and have a drink with him. One bright spot in his life is Dom, Ben Bailey Smith, of West Indian background who sings some rap while David Brent is singing, something which he finds often excruciating, but stays pretty loyal to Brent throughout the ill-fated tour. His manager finds him exasperating but relents a little at the end and allows David an indulgence with an absurd song about Christmas and having snow falling during the performance.
David Brent comes from Slough which is filmed and about which there is a song with lyrics representing contemporary Britain and Brits. In the meantime, David is insensitive in his lyrics, a cringe-making song about Native Americans, a song about the disabled and the aforementioned Christmas song about a boy going blind and not able to see Santa!
There are a number of amusing scenes and Ricky Gervais’ fans will be appreciative – for others, it may be a take it or leave it but with admiration for Gervais who can perform this obtuse character but is skilful enough in writing the obtuse character with clever insights.
1. A Ricky Gervais film? Writer, director, singing, star?
2. David Brent as a character, as the key character in TV’s The Office? Several years later, his life as a Rep? His dreams, rock ‘n’ roll star, touring? In reality, David Brent’s age, loner, his job, self-image, self-deception? His insensitivities, racial, to the disabled, women? Touches of stupidity? The jokes in the office, the staff reactions? The band and their not liking him? Failure of audience response?
3. The making of the documentary, David Brent talking to camera? Their catching him talking privately and the revelations?
4. Slough, its look, the song and its lyrics, symbolic of England? The comment on contemporary Britain and the British?
5. Brent at work, the Rep, the range of clients, his interactions with them, insensitive? The reaction of his bosses, the other members of the staff, laughing at him, Nigel and his support, Pauline and her defence of him? The Indian receptionist?
6. The band, Foregone Conclusion, the manager, the musicians, the importance of Dom, friendship, standing by David, singing the rap, his reactions, advice?
7. The audience, the clubs, moving in and out? Lack of response to Brent? Response to Dom?
8. David Brent, his mannerisms, his giggle, his wheeze, clothes, gyrating while singing, dancing, his wisecracks,
9. Lyrics of songs, e.g. the Native Americans, the Disabled, the Christmas song – and the falling of the snow?
10. The character of Dom, his comments, race background, rap, onstage with David, sharing with him, the link with the band, the drinks night, his being dressed up as the Native American and not going on? The approach by the talent scouts? His recording?
11. David, the attempts to be with women, two large women and picking them up, eating him out of house and home, staying the night, his denials?
12. The battle of the bands, singing first, the song, Dom and his rap?
13. The manager, patience with David, not liking him, something of a change of heart, the important talk, and his paying for the snow?
14. David back to the office, being laughed at, Nigel and his support, the receptionist saying nice things about him, Pauline throwing the water at the main critic, going out to coffee with him?
