Review #925: 'The Inbetweeners 2' (2014)

With The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) storming to box-office and critical success, it was never going to be the last time we saw Will (Simon Bird), Jay (James Buckley), Neil (Blake Harrison) and Simon (Joe Thomas) on the big screen. You would expect the sequel to make things bigger and better, but while number 2 certainly feels more 'film-y' than its predecessor, things are kept relatively low-key here. While it thankfully resists any urge to throw in a wild plot and favours something more grounded (the boys are so loveable because they're relatable), it basically repeats the same story as their disastrous holiday to Crete. The destination this time around is Australia.

With Will experiencing unhappiness at University (his house-mates demonstrate their attitudes towards him with a brilliantly worked gag), Simon struggling to deal with his bunny-boiling girlfriend Lucy (Tamla Kari), and Neil doing very little at all, the three decide to join Jay back-packing in Australia. Jay claims to be a top nightclub DJ, living in a mansion with supermodels who wake him every morning with a blow job. He is actually working as a toilet attendant, and is staying in a tent outside his uncle's house. Simon is convinced by old school friend Katie (Emily Berrington) to join her and her backpacking mates to see the 'real side of Australia', naturally with a detour to a water park, and the four tag along where embarrassment and uncomfortable sexual adventures await them.

While Australia is vast and beautiful, we see very little of it here, favouring youth hostels and tourist hotspots that, if anything, makes it look like were watching a feature-length episode on E4. The cast is made up is mainly Britons, and the only main Australian character we meet is Jay's 'shrimp on the barbie' stereotype uncle. The female characters also are resigned to roles of tease and psychopathic harpy, as opposed to the well-rounded female foursome we met in the first movie. Although there's a couple of hilarious set-pieces - shit in the face is always a winner - this just isn't as funny as it should be, with more focus on pushing the boundaries of gross-out humour rather than developing the odd relationship between these best friends who have very little in common. Series creators Damon Beesley and Iain Morris and the main cast have all said that this is it for The Inbeweeners, but I'm sure, despite the mediocrity this time around, they'll be back on our screens at some point in the future.


Directed by: Damon Beesley, Iain Morris
Starring: Simon Bird, James Buckley, Blake Harrison, Joe Thomas, Emily Berrington
Country: UK

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie