'Bean' there, done that

By Curtis P. Ferree
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 6, 1997

Arizona Daily Wildcat
Photo courtesy of Gramercy Pictures Rowan Atkinson stars as the title character in the new comedy "Bean."

"Bean" tells the tale of Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), an idiotic caretaker at the British National Art Gallery who is as incompetent as he is disliked by his peers. The museum's board of directors wants to fire him, but is stopped by the chairman of the board, who is enamored of Bean. So, when David Langley (Peter MacNicol), the curator for the Greirson Gallery in Los Angeles, requests that the Gallery send an art expert to oversee the unveiling of the museum's newly acquired painting, the board elects to send the remarkably unqualified Bean, confident in their belief that he will foul up the situation, and hence, get himself fired. Bean does cause a considerable amount of trouble, including, but not limited to, ruining the painting and causing Langley to lose his wife.

Directed by Mel Smith ("Radio land Murders"), "Bean" is based on a character created by writer Richard Curtis and Atkinson himself, who starred in the "Mr. Bean" television series which spawned this film. Atkinson is also known for his lead role in the British comedy series "The Black Adder" and appearances in films such as "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Like most comedies that try to make the leap from the small screen to the big one, "Bean" falls flat. The humor of Bean's character relies mostly on funny faces, strange noises and improbable slapstick. When Bean ends up losing his watch in a turkey he is trying to stuff, the turkey ends up getting stuck on his head. When Bean falls asleep in his chair, he falls out of it in the same position he was sitting. There isn't anything here you probably haven't already seen in an episode of "Three's Company."

Bean is a man of few words, which also grows tiring after an hour and a half. Bean's dialogue generally consists of low grunts and other strange noises, which, however amusing they might be for a half-hour television show, are merely irritating for a full length movie.

If you've seen a trailer for this movie, you've already seen its funniest parts. If you didn't think the trailer was funny, don't see the movie. If you did think it was funny, go to a good movie, watch the trailer again and call it a day.