After the substantial success of The Inbetweeners Movie, the awkward foursome – Will (Simon Bird), Simon (Joe Thomas), Neil (Blake Harrison) and Jay (James Buckley) – are back for a sequel that’s solidly entertaining, even if it does reek of fatigue. In desperate need of an escape, Will, Simon and Neil splurge their savings and student loans on a trip to visit Jay in Australia – a trip that quickly turns sour. More like a parade of hit-and-miss misadventures than a cohesive narrative, The Inbetweeners 2 contains all the usual rapid-fire gags, cringeworthy scenarios and vulgar interplay that you’d expect – most of which are expertly deployed by screenwriters Iain Morris and Damon Beesley (who also direct). The actors, too, feel at home in their respective roles, conveying the awkwardness of their alternate personas with real conviction. The fact is that The Inbetweeners 2 is funny – often hilarious, in fact. But there’s very little underneath, and by the time the foursome find themselves lost in the outback reflecting on life (and finally maturing), it hits you that the end if nigh – and it’s about time, too.
A longer version of this review was first posted on CineVue.
Empty Screens 