KEY POINTS:
Mr Bean is a clown of sorts, and in sensibly waiting 10 years to do the follow-up to the first film, Bean, Atkinson is assured there will be a new fan base for his iconic bumbling character. The appreciative audience will be young and easily impressed by a man pulling faces.
For those familiar with Mr Bean, the success of this comedy will rest on their affection for this awkward, grunting, klutz of a character.
In Mr Bean's Holiday, Bean wins a holiday to Cannes, France, and along the way manages to separate a father and son who are also travelling to Cannes.
Feeling a little guilty, Bean decides to try to help the son reunite with his father. Cue further mishaps, vaguely amusing segues - for example, Bean working as an extra on a TV commercial - and unbelievable coincidences, all captured on Mr Bean's home-video camera.
Mr Bean doesn't say much, even in his native tongue, and although the character has always been based on physical comedy, Mr Bean's Holiday seems to rely on slapstick more than usual. The story flows nicely, with the road trip filled with gags.
Even if you're not a Mr Bean fan, Atkinson should manage to get a smile out of you by the time the credits roll. Maybe it's Mr Bean's naivety about the world around him and the chaos he inevitably causes, or perhaps it is just that Atkinson proves that the more times you tell a joke, the funnier it gets.
Cast: Willem Dafoe, Rowan Atkinson
Director: Steve Bendelack
Running Time: 90 mins
Rating: PG, adult themes
Screening: SkyCity, Hoyts, Berkeley
