Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

i would say you most likely need a good audience to enjoy the movie. deep down you are probably better watching the series on dvd. the film has some 'best of' moments in the beginning but a really weird third act.

The decadent duo (Jennifer Saunders & Joanna Lumley) pick up right where the TV show left off: still staggering thru life glamorous and wasted. Edina's scheme to woo Kate Moss as a client ends in disaster and an escape to the French Riviera. If you're a fan of the movie you'll appreciate that most things are exactly the same: the family is back, their habits haven't changed and the humor ranges from clever to broad to absurd. There are dozens of cameos, but if you're not up on English pop culture many may go unappreciated. The costumes are wonderfully over the top. Other than a parade of celebs, nothing about the big screen version is stepped up…just more semi-outrageous antics from the women who made it fun to be degenerate.

There is very little in this film that would warrant the word "fabulous" in its title, aside from the fact that it is the name of the 90's British sitcom. It is an utter mess from start to finish and I am frankly quite surprised that the critics gave this average reviews. Granted, the basic plotline is not too bad: Edie and Patsy are old and slowly losing their fabulous lifestyle they used to enjoy. There is quite a few important issues here: ageing, careers, sexism, materialism, etc. However, that is where the ingenuity ends. The execution of the film is utterly ridiculous. While the show used to be very sarcastic and basically make fun of people like Edie and Patsy, now that aspect of the story is lost. Their characters are shallow. There was no *real* character development from when the show ended in the 90's up until this moment - something that was supposed to happen. Otherwise, the acting is a bit too slapsticky from everyone, as well as the entire production just seemed somehow as fake as the CGI background behind Kate Moss. And where does this ridiculous premise of Kate Moss come from any way?! Anyhow, aside from a chuckle here and there, and some fabulous outfits, there was little to take home from this. Which is a pity, as this could really have been fabulous...

First let me say that Jennifer Saunders is a brilliant actor and comedian. She is a brilliant comic writer. Which is why it is so sad to see her talents not realized in Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. There was such an urgency to include too much that there were so many missed opportunities for the film to have any real meaning. Gloria Bing could have lost Kate Moss as a client and Eddy and Gloria could have had a battle of butt kissing that would have been hilarious. On the plane, they could have thought they had first class tickets, sat down in FC, be treated llike royalty until it is discovered they are on the wrong plane and are forced to fly a low cost carrier and sit with whinny kids, a person with BO, etc. They could have employed their Little Britain friends to do the Come Fly With Me characters.There should have been a confrontation between Safron and Patsy. The police chasing Patsy and Eddy should have been drawn out and comical. Leaving Safron's daughter at the hotel to work as a maid should have been as meaningful as when Patsy sold Saffy in Morocco. They should have been detained at the airport for Patsy's suspicious items and had her inspected to where she enjoys it. A bomb threat at the airport or a fire alarm provides their escape or something from the airport. The one Patsy was going to marry should have been drawn out. Patsy gets to go to bed with him and dies in the middle of love making or something, spoiling their plans. She steals what she can from the house and makes a get away. When she marries the richest woman, she has to put a strap-on and doesn't know how to use. A comical scene could happen when she uses other items - a banana, a shoe, something funny. Before leaving for France, "Tickets, money, passport" was missing. Again, failed opportunities. I love AbFab and Jenifer Saunders which is why I was so disappointed with the movie. Too many failed opportunities.