Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: July 22, 2016

4.8	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Ratings

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jrodfilmsAug 1, 2016

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.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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LamontRaymondJul 23, 2016

I've never seen any of the TV episodes, so it put me at a distinct disadvantage, but the movie was still pretty darned funny! Makes me want to go back and check out the episodes. The leading ladies and their dead-pan humor is great. I can'tI've never seen any of the TV episodes, so it put me at a distinct disadvantage, but the movie was still pretty darned funny! Makes me want to go back and check out the episodes. The leading ladies and their dead-pan humor is great. I can't remember the last time I've seen a film during which all the leads are applauded as their names scrolled down the screen. Moss was a good sport to play along. But John Hamm? Is he having a tough time finding work?… Expand

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TVJerryJul 25, 2016

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.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.… Expand

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LeZeeSep 16, 2017

A guide to how to get away with a murder!

I have never seen the original television series, but I came across and found it interesting to try, only to realise in my watch that it was not what I thought of it. Yeah, definitely my disadvantageA guide to how to get away with a murder!

I have never seen the original television series, but I came across and found it interesting to try, only to realise in my watch that it was not what I thought of it. Yeah, definitely my disadvantage was that I didn't know the characters, the universe and all the basics. Those who loved the show might enjoy it better, since they know what to expect from it. I was like looking for a proper intro. The introduction of everything, as I'm not familiar with anything out of it. But it did not come, the story just went on and on from the opening itself. I was confused what's going on, who is who and et al.

It took almost half of the film to be comfortable with the scenario of the tale. Once I was there, I thought it was funny in places, yet I did not feel like to have a laugh. Again, I blame myself for missing out the fun for not knowing them very well. It never occurred to me before. I have seen many films that proceeded by its television series which I haven't seen. It looked short and the pace was excellent, so I did not get bored, except not getting the overall film properly. Otherwise, I would have rated it better. I think the people like me should be careful while picking it. Other than that it is an okay film, not a bad film.

5/10… Expand

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madmoviemanNov 29, 2016

It’s very rare for a sitcom to really translate well onto the big screen, and this is unfortunately yet another example. Whilst I think the original Ab Fab series is great fun, this feature-length edition a good decade and and a half later onIt’s very rare for a sitcom to really translate well onto the big screen, and this is unfortunately yet another example. Whilst I think the original Ab Fab series is great fun, this feature-length edition a good decade and and a half later on from the original run’s end is far from any of the laughs that made the show so fun. With a dull screenplay and poor comedy (not to mention the cardinal sin of celebrity cameos), Absolutely Fabulous The Movie is anything but.

Now, the biggest issue with the film is that it’s just not that funny. I’ll admit there are a couple of laughs here and there, but nothing hugely memorable or good enough to get you in the mood for a great comedy. In the show, so much of the humour came from Patsy and Eddie’s excessively narcissistic personalities, as well as their unorthodox relationship with Saffy, Eddie’s daughter.

However, rather than being able to laugh at all of that, this film makes all of the show’s best qualities simply irritating. Similarly to a couple of revival episodes over the past few years, the film is a consistently underwhelming and irritating watch, because it rehashes old jokes again and again, and also indulges itself in the modern era in a way that doesn’t suit its characters or situation at all. It’s a format that seemed to work back in the 90s, but doesn’t translate well into the present.

Whilst Joanna Lumley, Jennifer Saunders and Julia Sawalha all put in the same shifts as they did in the original show, the script here just means they’re not as entertaining. The predictability of so many of the jokes right from the start makes everything feel so lacklustre, and it’s very difficult to keep interested or hopeful over the course of 90 minutes, instead of 30.

This film is in general a big mess. The script’s comedy is very poor, and the story isn’t much better, featuring a billion conveniences just to get the characters into ‘hilarious’ situations. It used to feel so organic and simple, but the plot here feels incredibly manufactured and predictable, another hugely disappointing element.

And then, there’s the nail in the coffin: the celebrity cameos. Of all the worst things a film can do, this always shows a script that’s got no ideas, and is simply relying on an equivalent of fan service to get laughs out of you. In a horribly similar way to this year’s other celebrity overdose, Zoolander 2, Ab Fab The Movie keeps throwing hordes of celebrities at you in an attempt to mask the script’s complete lack of comedic class, but it never works, and makes for an even more dull and underwhelming watch.

Overall, I thought that this was a really disappointing film. With so much talent coming from the original series, this film is perfect evidence of how a sitcom doesn’t work stretched to 90 minutes, thanks to its dull, unoriginal screenplay, poor comedy, and excess of celebrity cameos.… Expand

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DawdlingPoetNov 28, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I found this film more obnoxious, certainly in the first half, than funny. The plot was pretty weak but then I assumed that would be the case. It improved in terms of comedy in the 2nd half of the film but frankly by that point, it was lucky I hadn't given up watching it. The first half seemed to be trying a bit too much to be seen to be really up to date in terms of IT girl culture, fashion, popular culture and the like. Of course its not to be taken at all seriously but it just seemed a bit too over the top and barely watchable for too long for my liking. The Absolutely Fabulous characters always were characters your not supposed to especially feel sorry for, well suprisingly(!) this is very much still the case. I think if the plot pace had been a bit slicker, a bit faster so to speak, it may have been better.

One of the more slightly amusing scenes is set on a budget airline when the 2 main characters board, waiting to travel to France. Rebel Wilson appears as a DNB (do nothing b***), welcoming everyone on board, where she says 'welcome to budget airways - where our only tossers are our baggage handlers' and 'there's no first class, just first arse in every seat' - comedy Gold, I'm sure you'll agree(!) well I thought it was mildly amusing.

While the first half of the film is somewhat louder and faster (not so much in terms of plot pace but in terms of environment/scenarios, with music and the like), its a bit calmer once set in France and I found it more entertaining, although it by no means was amazing, just a bit less in your face, less desperately (trying too hard) to impress. As you can probably imagine, it features quite a large amount of cheese. If you've seen the TV series then you'll have a rough idea what to expect, although i wouldn't say this film is better than the TV series.

A bit later on in the film and I noticed it features strong colourful lighting in the scenes set in France, making it look like a bit of a comic book - its all a bit exaggerated but then I suppose thats 'Ab Fab' for you, as its known as.

Would I recommend it?. Its slightly amusing, so if it comes on TV then it may be worth a watch but only if your a big fan of the show and/or cast but for the most part. There are some fairly funny moments but their spread quite wide apart and you have to sit through a sadly bland and not entertaining first half of the film to get to the more amusing moments, so overall I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way to see it, no. Its somewhere between poor to ok-ish.… Expand

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