ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS – THE MOVIE (UK 2016) ***
Directed by Mandie Fletcher

Starring: Jennifer Saunders, Joanna Lumley, Jane Horrocks |

Review by Gilbert Seah

At one point in the movie, Edina Monsoon (Jennifer Saunders) quips: “Sixties are the new forties.” When the first AB FAB skit appeared in1990, both actresses Saunders and Joanna Lumley were in their forties. Now, more than twenty years later, they are still at it, creating havoc in the PR world of high fashion.

When AB FAB the movie opens, Edina is still running her PR agency that is quickly running out of money and interest. The duo realize that Edina needs a miracle to save her company and renew her reputation. Edina tries to recruit high fashion model Kate Moss at a party but accidentally pushes her over the balcony into the Thames. To hide from the press and bad publicity, the two take off to the south of France with Edina’s grand-daughter, Lola in tow, hoping to tap her youth in the fashion business. Patsy gets married. Other crazy adventures ensue.

Films made from TV series (KEVIN AND PERRY GO LARGE, HOLIDAY ON THE BUSES and THE IN-BETWEENERS) more than always have their characters go on holiday. Though Patsy and Edina do not really go on holidays, they end up in the south of France to escape being arrested. Here at least, the wealthy affluence of the French suits the environment of the characters.

All the characters from the TV series are present from Bubbles (Jane Horrocks), Edina’s useless secretary to her daughter, Saffron (Julia Sawalha) to her thieving mother(June Whitfield). The film updates the characters. Saffrom is now a mother who has a daughter, Lola.

Written by Saunders and directed by Fletcher who was responsible for a few TV episodes, the story is often all over the place. At one point the duo’s in London at a PR party and the next, Patsy is married in France. Anything can happen and often does. But no one can really take the incidents seriously either. These are the reasons the film works. It is good to laugh at the antics of the two, and they never go stale. But the writing poses a bit of a problem when it tries to rationalize Edina’s reckless living. There are also prize comedic set-ups like the chase with the two in a tiny ice-cream van and the hilarious designer Huki Muki event.

A long list of cameos is often common in films on high fashion (ENTOURAGE, ZOOLANDER). AB FAB THE MOVIE contains a list too long to mention though quite a few of the British faces will go unrecognized by North American audiences. A few stand out like Kathy Burke’s foul mouthed Magda. Burke is always a joy to watch.

The film has already opened in the U.K. and has broken box-office records. Saunders and Lumley appeared in person during London Pride march a week before the film opening. This comedy is just what the doctor ordered to distract from the world’s blues (Brexit, US shootings, ISIS attacks).

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