The UK version of The Office seems to be unappreciated on this board by many. I guess it depends on which version you watched first...since I saw the UK version before the US version aired, I'm admittedly biased (although I do enjoy the US version too). Both David Brent & Michael Scott are no prizes to be around, but the writers would give Scott a win every now & then. Brent, on the other hand, kept circling the drain more and more...just when you think "how much lower can he go?", he'll answer the question for you.

Which brings me to Brent's latest "documentary", several years removed from his days at the paper company in Slough. This time, he's trying to chase his dream as a rock star...not only does it go as predictably as you'd expect, it's actually worse. While there are painfully funny moments in the movie, this time there are just as many painful moments without the humor, where you actually start feeling pity for the guy. Does he get a win before it's all over? I won't say yes or no, but the last few minutes are quite satisfying, and is worth the wait. Worth a watch IMO...

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Posted by UsingUpAllTheLetters

Stuck in Transfer Portal

Member since Aug 2011

8508 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 12:17 am to vandelay industries

The Christmas special will always be the end of Brent's story for me.

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Posted by Pilot Tiger

North Carolina

Member since Nov 2005

73144 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 5:47 am to UsingUpAllTheLetters

quote:
The Christmas special will always be the end of Brent's story for me

yea same. He seemed to do some growing up at the end

The new film basically throws all that away

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Posted by vandelay industries

CSRA

Member since May 2012

2477 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 7:13 am to Pilot Tiger

I dunno. He did have a ray of sunshine at the end of the Xmas special...but it was such a lucky moment for him, you could totally see him fricking it all up five minutes after the cameras stopped rolling, lol...I mean, just a couple of moments earlier, he humiliated a potential blind date and crashed & burned with another, so I didn't get the impression he "grew up" at all.

This post was edited on 2/13/17 at 7:14 am

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Posted by vandelay industries

CSRA

Member since May 2012

2477 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 8:56 am to vandelay industries

Didn't want to add this to my last post, since it's two hours after the fact, but anyway:

In Life On The Road, there are some indicators showing he might've grown (at least by his standards, anyway), since they made a point to show two of his longtime female co-workers having his back on more than one occasion. As rough around the edges Brent is, he had to have done something for these women to like him (or at worst, at least feel sorry for him).

But in the Xmas special, the writing seemed ambiguous enough where we don't really know if Brent pulled it off in the end, or learned anything for that matter. His date at the party did come off as a sweet person, and it's reasonable to suggest she just might've not wanted to embarrass him on camera. Considering the date was over kinda quickly, maybe she called an audible to get away from him?

I know, alot of overthinking here, lol...

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Posted by JuiceTerry

Roond the Scheme

Member since Apr 2013

40868 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 9:34 am to vandelay industries

This was hard to watch on many levels. Gervais didn't seem to inhabit the Brent character at all to me. I kinda wish I hadn't watched it. Not only was the story depressing, but the motivation behind making it just seems, like, why?

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Posted by vandelay industries

CSRA

Member since May 2012

2477 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 9:47 am to JuiceTerry

quote:
This was hard to watch on many levels. Gervais didn't seem to inhabit the Brent character at all to me.

Within the walls of the office, IMO he was very much the David Brent I was familiar with. Things did get bleaker when he did his "tour" (I say "tour" in quotes, since all the gigs were within driving distance to his house

), but on many occasions he was just as socially awkward as I'd expected. Hell, his onstage banter was just as face-palmingly cringeworthy as his usual dialogue, lol...

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Posted by LasVegasTiger

Idaho

Member since Apr 2008

8064 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 12:35 pm to vandelay industries

Ooh-oh
Native American
Soar like an eagle, sit like a pelican
Ohh oh
Don’t call us Indians
We're more like West Eurasians crossed with Siberians

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Posted by mizzoubuckeyeiowa

Member since Nov 2015

35496 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 3:44 pm to vandelay industries

quote:
The UK version of The Office seems to be unappreciated on this board by many

I thought it was generally more of a consensus that it was better.

As for the show...

The Native American bit was pretty good.

"This song is all about how the white man sort of slaughtered them and enslaved them...and, uh it's about time someone said something...so...(raises hand) guilty."

"But they are having the last laugh cause they can do what they want on their Reservations...gambling, prostitution, i don't know...but definitely gambling, swings and roundabouts. I don't think they pay taxes, do they?"

"Stop talking, man."

"Oh and you'll also learn why they don't like being called red Indians...anymore."

This post was edited on 2/13/17 at 3:45 pm

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Posted by vandelay industries

CSRA

Member since May 2012

2477 posts

Posted on 2/13/17 at 4:46 pm to mizzoubuckeyeiowa

quote:
I thought it was generally more of a consensus that it was better.

If it is, I must've been doing something else when that discussion took place...I tend to see many downvotes whenever someone suggests the UK version is better, but maybe that's just a handful of butthurt US fanboys on a vendetta, lol...

Some great song quotes mentioned. I almost covered my face when he sang "Please Don't Make Fun Of The Disableds"...."it's basically a head on a pillow (head on a pillow, head on a pillow)"

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