At 85 years old, comedy legend John Cleese has embarked on a solo cinematic venture with his new film, John Cleese Packs It In. This 80-minute travelogue documents a European mini-tour, but it's far from a nostalgic victory lap. The film presents a portrait of an iconic performer grappling with the realities of ageing and a candid, often grumpy, perspective on his later career.
A Tour Fraught with Grievances
The documentary, directed by Andy Curd, follows Cleese as he navigates the challenges of life on the road. The comedian is openly battling a series of health issues, including partial deafness, bone spurs, and vertigo. His motivation for undertaking the tour is bluntly stated, with the phrase 'I need the money' becoming a recurring, if wheezy, gag throughout the film.
Audiences are offered a near-relentless stream of gripes. Cleese complains about the endless repacking required for travel and the intrusion of being filmed at all hours. The director's choice of unflattering camera angles does little to improve the comic's mood. He even takes aim at audiences who fail to laugh at his more protracted routines, such as one involving a lengthy session of hacking up phlegm.
Fleeting Joy Amidst the Filler
Despite the prevailing grumpiness, glimpses of the old Python magic occasionally break through. Cleese displays genuine delight upon learning that a lemur was named after him, and a visit to a Buddhist temple seems to reawaken his curiosity. The film's most illuminating segment is archival, featuring footage from Cleese's 1991 interview with the Dalai Lama.
However, these moments are sparse. The film is padded with B-roll footage from fish markets and cheese shops, and includes an unappealing photomontage of the comedian's injured big toe, for which he offers a warning to viewers with weak stomachs. The onstage material itself is given surprisingly little screen time.
A Sour Note and Unanswered Questions
Even Cleese's more jocular asides carry a sharp, ungenerous edge. His teasing of former Python colleague Michael Palin comes across as more sour than fond. In a particularly dark quip, upon hearing of an ex-wife's death, he remarks, 'it was the wrong one'.
The film inadvertently raises a poignant question about the nature of retirement for beloved entertainers. It portrays a Cleese who is still performing but visibly fragile and frazzled. This leads viewers to wonder why a figure of his stature feels compelled to keep working. Is it financial necessity driven by capitalism, or an innate show business compulsion that prevents a long and restful retirement?
For fans holding misty-eyed memories of the Python era, this bathetic endeavour might be a disappointment, suggesting they are better off revisiting classic Fawlty Towers box sets. John Cleese Packs It In is now showing in UK and Irish cinemas, and will be released in Australian cinemas from 27 November.
