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Poster for Withnail & I

Withnail & I

Seen it?

1987 | 108 min | Comedy, Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite soft box office. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh. If you loved Trainspotting or White Men Can't Jump, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Darkly funny.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: expect drug use.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Two out-of-work actors -- the anxious, luckless Marwood and his acerbic, alcoholic friend, Withnail -- spend their days drifting between their squalid flat, the unemployment office and the pub. When they take a holiday "by mistake" at the country house of Withnail's flamboyantly gay uncle, Monty, they encounter the unpleasant side of the English countryside: tedium, terrifying locals and torrential rain.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    94% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.2 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $2 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 312K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Bruce Robinson

  • Richard E. GrantWithnail
  • Paul McGann...& I
  • Richard GriffithsMonty
  • Ralph BrownDanny
  • Michael ElphickJake
  • Daragh O'MalleyIrishman
  • Michael WardleIsaac Parkin
  • Una Brandon-JonesMrs. Parkin
  • Noel JohnsonGeneral
  • Irene SutcliffeWaitress